Marco's eyes rapidly fluttered open the moment he felt the warmth of sunlight. He roused out of bed, doing his usual several minutes of stretches and exercises. He showered to wash away what little sleepiness had remained. When he finished, he threw on his usual attire for work. A sweater vest over a long sleeve shirt and a pair of green slacks.
Of course, he had to have the most important meal of the day before he left the house. He cooked and flipped himself a pair of pancakes, drenched in his favorite brand of maple syrup, with a side of eggs, bacon and a glass of orange juice.
As soon as his dishes were empty, he placed them in the empty sink before finally heading out. He grabbed his red hoodie off the coat hanger and the door was shut and locked.
As usual, the drive to Echo Creek wasn't long nor eventful. The chatter from the radio fell on deaf ears as Marco couldn't tell whether music or the news was on. Either way, the presence of sound beat an otherwise dull silence.
7:30. Just like always. Fifteen minutes earlier than he needed to be. There isn't much reason for it, he just liked to be very punctual. He didn't graduate Echo Creek Academy with perfect attendance for nothing.
The door to Marco's office clicked and creaked open. It was dark, save for the slivers of light that pierced through the drawn blinds and onto his desk. He raised them, letting the sunlight completely engulf the room.
Marco rested on his comfy office chair. Metal creaked beneath him as he leaned forward, booting his computer to sign in to work.
The sound of skateboard wheels gliding across asphalt caught Marco's ear, pulling him from his task. He looked behind him to see a girl riding across the school yard on her skateboard. Then he glanced at his watch.
"7:56." He noted. He smiled a warm, reminiscent smile.
The day went by as he expected. Once it struck 9 following the usual ringing of the bell, the day had officially started. Students and staff alike came and went out of his office conversing about all things school related. That was pretty much his job in a nutshell. Meeting people, providing advice or dealing in matters of scheduling for students. Not the most exciting job in the world, but he felt as though he was serving the community in a way. The satisfaction of helping others find their way through life outweighed the monotony of the work itself. And he wouldn't have it any other way.
"Mr. Diaz, to the Principal's office. Mr. Diaz." Blasted the Principal himself on the intercom. Marco was on his lunch break when it happened. He stopped mid-bite of his sandwich and lamented as he put it away. He hoped he could get back to it in time before his break ended.
The school was under lunch hour and an atmosphere of momentary freedom cast over the school. The hallways were riddled with students of all grades out and about, heading to either the cafeteria or the courtyard.
"What's goin' on, Mr. Diaz?" Greeted a member of the football team. A tall blond guy.
"All's good, Justin." Marco greeted back. "Hey, keep those grades up if you wanna get that football scholarship!"
"Will do, Mr. D!" Justin said as he turned a corner.
"Hiiii, Mr. Diaz!" Cheerfully shouted a trio of cheerleaders. They smiled and waved at him as he passed. Though one of them averted her gaze bashfully unlike the other two.
"Afternoon, girls." He greeted back. He looked to the cheerleader that stood out by coyly avoiding her gaze. "Hey Sabrina, don't push yourself too hard, ok? Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself again."
"Y-yes Mr. Diaz." Sabrina replied somewhat nervously. "Thank you."
"Anytime. Seeya 'round, girls."
As Marco walked away, he could overhear the girls giggling behind him.
"He's so hot." One of them remarked. Chantelle, if he remembered her voice correctly.
"Right? I'd like to give that PhD a house call sometime." Another one replied. Brittney, he recalled. "C'mon Sab, I know you wanna jump his bones too, but at least show some class!"
Marco cut through the outdoor area of the school as he continued his way to the principal's office. He stopped dead in his tracks when a very familiar face approached him. He couldn't stop his smile.
"Sup, Mr. Diaz." Greeted a chilled out skateboarder chick. Marco could never forget Jackie Lynn Thomas.
"Hey Jackie, how's your day been?"
She shrugged. "Same old, same old, I guess. You?"
"Yeah, me too. Same stuff, different day. How's your mom been?"
"Still got the hots for her, Marco?" Like a gunshot, popped a beanie-bearing girl from behind Jackie.
The man visibly recoiled and instinctively slapped his pocket where his wallet was. He took two steps back.
"Janna, how many times do I have to tell you..." Marco kept his guarded stance, his eyes staying glued on Janna. "It's Mr. Diaz. Have some respect for once, will you?"
"You still didn't answer my question, Safe Guy." The girl took a couple steps towards Marco, while he took three more steps back. Janna smiled as though deriving great pleasure from the distress painted on Marco's face.
"Jan, c'mon." Janna emitted bad vibes that Jackie wanted none of. "Lay off him, dude."
"Why ya gotta be like that, Marco?" Janna asked. A hand was held to her heart, feigning pain. "I thought we were besties. Otherwise you wouldn't have given me the key to your house."
"Can you not-" Marco sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose. He started to walk past the two. "Look I don't have time for this. I gotta get to the principal's office pronto."
Marco didn't need to turn around to see the disapproving look being thrown Janna's way.
After that potential risk of losing his wallet again, Marco finally made it to the Principal's office. The moment he opened the door, he froze halfway through the doorframe upon being greeted with a strange sight.
A couple, presumably parents, stood in front of Principal Skeeves's desk, donned in what appeared to be Royal garbs that reminded Marco of one of his trips to Medieval Times. A king and queen, he presumed, judging by their crowns.
Upon the desk was a hefty chest filled to the brim with gold coins and jewels, presumably given to the Principal by the royal couple as some sort of payment.
Along with everyone else in the room was a girl. Almost certainly the daughter of the royal couple. Couldn't have been any older than 15, maybe 14. She was blonde, like the father, and her hair flowed down to her knees. There were marks on her cheek, like the mother, though they were pink hearts as opposed to diamonds. Though she dressed drastically different from her parents, looking more like she lived in present rather than whatever bygone era they lived.
"Oh good. Here he is now!" Principal Skeeves gestured to Marco, still struggling to process what laid before him.
Everyone turned to him, including the daughter, who stopped toying with a nearby desk lamp.
"Ah yes. You must be Mr. Diaz. Nice to meet you." The woman spoke with a posh British accent. She extended a hand, her wrist bent. "Queen Moon Butterfly of Mewni. Pleasure to meet you."
Immediately remembering a few movies he previously watched, Marco gently took her hand and bowed with a courtesy not unlike the knights he saw.
"Uhh, yes. Yes I am." He didn't know why he did it so unquestioningly, but there was something about the aura that the woman radiated that just commanded authority with every step. "Honored to meet you."
"Charmed." Queen Moon said with a genuine smile.
"King River Butterfly. Nice to meet you as well, my good man." Unlike his wife, the short, yet stout bearded man extended his hand in a manner Marco was more familiar with. His voice was husky and he bore a more jolly, upbeat energy in comparison to his wife.
He took his hand and felt instantly the sheer roughness of his palm and the painful power of his grip. Though Marco's felt like his bones were crushed, he tried to match his strength.
"Oh dear." King River looked at his own hand then his eyes scanned Marco all over. The latter moved his fingers to make sure nothing broke. "Wait wait, don't tell me, let me guess. You're a warrior aren't you?"
"Uh excuse me?" The counselor raised an eyebrow.
"Oh don't play coy with me, young man." The burly man chuckled. "I can tell by your grip, that you've seen plenty of combat."
"Well I mean..." Marco scratched behind his head bashfully. "I've been in a few tournaments but I wouldn't say I've seen legit combat. Besides, that was years ago. Nowadays, I just teach Karate on the weekends."
"Ka-what now?" River asked, confused.
"A martial art."
The blonde man's eyes lit up. "You're a combat instructor, too!? Moon my darling, this man is perfect for watching over our daughter! He's just like our knights back at the castle."
"Uh, excuse me? Your daughter?"
"Yup! That's me!" Said daughter zipped right in front of Marco her expression bearing unbridled glee. With a lack of class or courtesy unlike her more regal parents, she snatched Marco's hand and shook it with both of hers rapidly. "Hiiii, I'm Star Butterfly! Nice to meet you, new friend!"
"Yes Marco, you'll be fostering Star her for the rest of her high school days." Principal Skeeves said.
"Or at least until she masters her magic studies. Whichever comes first, I suppose." Moon interjected, raising her index finger.
"Whoa whoa whoa. Time out, time out. " Marco's hands ghosted one another in said gesture.
He had no idea where to start. Mewni? Magic? Knights? Taking care of some teen for a family he never met from a place he's never heard of?
"Principle Skeeves." Marco turned to him. "I get that my parents used to foster kids for years, but that doesn't mean I'm the right guy for this."
"Nonsense," Skeeves replied. "I couldn't think of any better candidate in this whole town than our responsible, take-no-chances Safe Guy."
"Oh, c'mon that was years ago!" Marco protested throwing his hands down. "And besides, why pick me for this? I don't think taking care of teens runs in my family."
"Oh come now, Marco" Skeeves lays a hand on Marco's arm, to which prompted the young man to stiffen and scowl at the shorter man. "I picked you specifically because you're a good man. Trustworthy, responsible, intelligent and much more. I believe you're more than capable of doing this."
Marco turned to Star, who peered up at him with wide, blue eyes not unlike those of a puppy's. He could swear he heard faint whimpers coming from her.
On top of Star's how-can-you-say-no-to-this face and the Principal's irritating insistence, Marco's resolve buckled under the pressure. A heavy sigh fell out of his lips as his body relaxed and accepted the hand that was dealt to him.
"Alright fine. I'll take care of her."
"Yaayyy!" Star cheered, popping up next to Marco again and wrapping her noodly arms around one of his while hopping in place. She stopped for a moment as a look of surprise washed over her face. She gave the man's arm a couple squeeze and looked up at him as if unsaid suspicions were confirmed.
"Uh, is there a problem?" Marco asked, confused.
"Whooaa.. are a lot of Earth guys this... Beefy?" Star spoke softly. Then she looked to her parents, speaking once again in loud excitement. "He's just like our knights back in Mewni!"
"Right?" River agreed with a nod. "That's what I thought!"
"Anyways..." Not wanting to delay any longer, Marco gestured at Star to the door. "I guess I should show you around."
"Mmm, lead the way Mr... Uhh."
"Diaz. Mr. Diaz. Well, Marco Diaz, but 'Mr. Diaz will do for now."
"Okay! Let's go!"
And so the two left the Principal's office to check out the entire school. Star's parents and the Principal waved them goodbye.
"I'll give him a week." River spoke, looking up at his wife, concern painted on his eyes.
"Eleven minutes, tops." Moon said dryly in reply.