Star: A luminous ball of fire held together by its own gravity. A bright and shining star is often seen as a beacon of hope.

Moon: A natural satellite of any planet, often reflecting the sun's light to help illuminate the dark night.

Eclipse: An astronomical event that occurs when the light of a celestial object is temporarily obscured by passing into the shadow of another, leaving the world below in stunning darkness. Fooled by the trick, one can hear the creatures of the night sing.

Meteor: A mass of stone and iron that would sooner catch fire than yield to the unforgiving atmosphere. Also called a fallen star.

(Chapter 19)

Seated in a comfortable chair in her private study, Queen Eclipsa used one hand to take another sip of her tea while the other held the book she was reading. The mantelpiece burned with an odd, purple fire, providing the room with a warmth that was somehow still cooling. Eclipsa's hat was laid on the table and her parasol wand leaned against the chair, only a few inches from her hand.

Festivia played with her toys at her mother's feet. Aside from her purple eyes and the four-point-star cheek marks that branded her as a Butterfly royal, the baby with the dark, purplish-blue hair didn't really seem to take after her mother much. She instead appeared to have inherited more of the Spiderbite genes from her father. To Eclipsa's relief though, little Festivia didn't seem to have inherited any of the Spiderbites' notorious bad attitudes. She was a happy and giggling baby most of the time. Festivia loved to laugh and play right up until bedtime, and Eclipsa loved her for it.

"The Day, beautiful with her glow, won the hearts of many. But it was Night who loved her most, far more than any," Eclipsa read from her poetry book. "The Night won the Day's affection, and soon they held each other's hearts. But cursed by the angered Sky, they were forced to be apart."

Festivia giggled and clapped her hands up at her mother.

"Ah, so you like poetry as well?" Eclipsa smiled. "When you're old enough, I'll teach you how to play guitar. Oh, how fun it would be to write songs together."

The doors to Eclipsa's study opened and King Shastacan walked in, accompanied by his aunt, Reclusa Spiderbite. Where Shastacan was short and pudgy, Reclusa was tall and thin. She had dark hair set in a braid with a scrunchy decorated like a spider web. Her eyes were green like Shastacan's were, and her face was set in a permanent frown, with a beaky nose that certainly didn't help any. The gown Reclusa wore was a sickly greenish-yellow, like the color of venom, and in Eclipsa's opinion, matched her personality.

"There you are!" said Shastacan. "Didn't you receive the messenger I sent to find you? I've been looking all over for you!"

"Yes, I know." Eclipsa flipped to the next page. "I just didn't care."

"You need to show some respect to your King," Reclusa said in her nasally, irritating voice. "Really, your impertinence is utterly childish. You're supposed to be the Queen of Mewni, so act like it, who won't you?"

"Hello, Reclusa. How is Uncle Jushtin?" Eclipsa asked in an almost bored tone.

"Oh, ever is the privilege to be married to the one and only Jushtin the Uncalculated," Reclusa replied with dramatic sarcasm. "Fah. More like Jushtin the Unsatisfying. How unlucky I was to be wed to that poor excuse of a man."

"Something tells me that Uncle Jushtin may have very similar misgivings about his marriage," Eclipsa said. "After all, you're no prize yourself."

Reclusa ground her teeth and gave Eclipsa an evil look.

"Oh, enough, the both of you," said Shastacan. "I came to find you because it's time for Festivia's classes."

"Festivia," Reclusa said sourly. "A ridiculous name, if you ask me."

"Well then, it's a good thing no one asked you." Eclipsa put her book down and picked Festivia up, setting the baby on her lap. "And come now, are her classes really necessary? She's a baby who loves to play. Do you really think any of those ridiculous classes are going to teach her anything?"

"As the future Queen of Mewni, she is expected to learn about proper etiquette as well as duty and responsibility," Reclusa said. "Not that you would know about any of that."

"What do you care, Eclipsa?" Shastacan asked. "Honestly, what do you care? If you're not arguing with someone, you're simply ignoring them. The laws and policies you propose are laughable and insulting. And every night, you are nowhere to be found. Where exactly do you run off to every night?"

"Hire a courtesan if you wish to warm your bed. I hardly care." Eclipsa smoothed out Festivia's hair. "And as for what I do during the night; none of your business, that's what."

"Listen here, you joke of a Queen!" Reclusa shouted angrily. "I-"

Without taking her eyes off Festivia, Eclipsa calmly grabbed the handle of her wand. Her eyes glowed with a dangerous light that only Festivia didn't find frightening.

"Yes?"

Despite their pride, neither Shastacan nor Reclusa had the courage to further rebuke her.

"Eclipsa, just let us take Festivia to her classes," said Shastacan.

"But I hardly get to spend any time with Festivia." Eclipsa booped the baby's nose with her own. "And we were having so much fun. Weren't we, dear?"

"Stop being a selfish fool and let us take the Princess to her classes," Reclusa demanded. "You are hardly someone for her to learn from. She needs to be taught properly."

Eclipsa narrowed her eyes at the two of them. "I guess it's true what they say: Every Spiderbite is born with a spider bite…right on their ass, and from there, the venom spreads."

Before either of the Spiderbites could offer their angry retort, Eclipsa stood up and carried Festivia to her father.

"Fine. Take her to her classes. I had plans tonight anyway."

Shastacan blinked. Cautiously, as if he were expecting a trick, he took Festivia from Eclipsa. "What plans?"

"As I said before, none of your business," Eclipsa replied coolly.

A look of outrage passed over Shastacan's face before he quickly recomposed himself. "Very well then. Go ahead to continue to worsen your reputation. Come, Festivia. There is no one here who can teach you anything of value."

Shastacan turned around and carried Festivia out of the study, followed by Reclusa, who gave Eclipsa one more sour look before leaving. As the door to the study closed, Eclipsa saw Festivia reach for her, a sad look on her infant face.

With no one to witness her, Eclipsa slumped into her chair and let out a miserable groan. She ran her hands through her hair and down her face. Her eyes began to water and tears made their way down her cheeks.

"I can't keep doing this," Eclipsa wept quietly to herself. "I can't…I can't…I can't…I can't…I can't…"

Alone in her study, the Queen of Darkness softly wept into her gloved hands.

Rasticore lumbered through the halls of the Avarius Castle, scowling all the way. As the days went by, the Septarian found himself wishing more and more that he hadn't accepted this job. He was a blade for hire. He did the job, received the pay, and that was it. He always made an effort to never let it get personal and keep things professional. It was good for career reputation and made the job a whole lot easier.

But this…this whole thing was getting far too dicey. His 'employer,' was obviously mad, driven by centuries of suppressed pain and anger. Rasticore had no love for the Mewmans, and couldn't care less if they all died. But it seemed apparent that Meteora had no intention of taking the throne for herself or giving anything back to the Monsters. That letter Toffee had left for him promised a lot more than the half-breed Princess was willing to deliver.

"Blast it, Toffee," Rasticore grumbled. "How do you keep talking me into these predicaments even after you're dead? First that assault after you killed Queen Comet and now this."

"It's not looking good, is it?"

Rasticore stopped and looked to the side. Stepping out of the shadow of a conjoining hallway was Ludo. The little bird Monster stared up sternly at the Septarian.

"Where have you been?" Rasticore asked.

"Not important." Ludo looked around to make sure no one was listening before speaking in a hushed tone. "Look, Rasticore, I'm not sure how much Meteora is paying you or if it's an honor thing or whatever, but come on. You're a smart lizard. You've gotta be able to see that this can't lead to anything good. I'm a Monster too, I'd like to see the Mewmans get what they deserve. But, Meteora? You can't cure a headache by ripping off the head, as effective as that might seem."

"This is my job, Avarius," Rasticore rumbled. "I don't like it, and I don't have to. And as…hazardous, as things are starting to look, it is my professional obligation to see it out."

"But, Rasticore-"

"Forget it, bird. Do what you want, but I have a job to do." Rasticore turned and continued down the hall, leaving Ludo behind. He made it to the throne room and pushed the doors open, right in time to see Gemini slam into the wall beside him. The little robot troll slid down the wall and to the floor. Rasticore saw the claw marks along his torso that exposed his internal workings.

The light in Gemini's single, goggle eye flickered. "...The things I did…for love…"

A blast of poison-green energy made a hole in Gemini's chest, ending the henchmen's life. Startled, Rasticore looked to see Meteora standing in front of Ludo's throne, fangs bared and claws extended. The evil, green glow in her eyes faded away as she managed to calm back now. For the moment, at least.

Rasticore hesitated before walking up to Meteora. "You, uh, wanted to see me?"

Meteora's yellow, reptilian eyes focused on the Septarian. Her hair was getting longer and more unkempt and her arms had developed stripes and a purple tint. Meeting her gaze made Rasticore feel like he was about to get eaten. The former headmistress was looking more and more monstrous every day, as if she were slowly losing what made her Mewman and enjoying it. Rasticore understood what Ludo had meant. This woman was nobody's savior. She was just anybody's demise.

"Ah, Rasticore. There you are," said Meteora. "Tell me; how many Monsters do we have in the castle?"

"Including Ludo? We have about eleven Monsters at the ready," Rasticore replied. "I think Ludo has more willing to follow him, but the ones we have now are his go-to squad. Some of his most loyal Monsters. He'd have to make a few calls to get a bigger army here."

"Eleven." Meteora nodded. "No, no need to call more. Eleven will be an adequate start."

"Well, I mean, it's your call, of course, but I was thinking we'd round up some more Monsters before we began our assault," Rasticore suggested. "They'll have us outnumbered, not to mention you're not the only one with magic powers."

"Oh, I'm not worried about that," Meteora replied dismissively. "Ludo and his Monsters will serve their purpose. They're all I'll need to start this off."

Rasticore raised an eyebrow. "Start what off, exactly? You haven't really been all that clear on what we're supposed to do next."

"Oh, you'll see." Meteora grinned, showing off her sharp teeth, and walked up to Rasticore. "You'll see. After all, it's going to just be you and me, Rasticore."

Rasticore blinked. "...Okay."

"You have been ever so loyal and helpful to me, Rasticore. Even when you failed to kill the Princess and bring me the wand and the spellbook. Not that it matters anymore."

Meteora placed her hands on Rasticore's chest. "I plan to keep you around for as long as I can."

Rasticore's working eye widened. "...Uuuuh…yeaaaaaah…um-"

"I am going to take much from Mewni. Much. And, you may have whatever you want from me, as reward for your services." Meteora's grin widened and her hold on Rasticore tightened. "Whatever you want."

"...I think I left the stove on, I was baking muffins for the guys, be back in a bit."

Rasticore quickly turned around and speed walked out of the throne room, leaving behind a confused Meteora. Rasticore hurried down the hall right back to Ludo, who hadn't moved from where Rasticore had left him.

"Okay, I'm in. What's your plan?"

"Just like that? What happened?"

"Mind your business, that's what happened."

"Uh, okay," said Ludo. "Look, we need to accept the fact that there's nothing we can do on our end. The only people who can even things out now are the Butterflies, as much as it ruffles my feathers."

"Ha."

"Shut up, I'm a bird. I'm allowed to say it."

"How are we supposed to even contact the Butterflies?" Rasticore asked. "They know us. We won't be able to go anywhere near Butterfly Castle."

"Our best bet is to warn the Princess directly. Out of all of them, she's the least likely to immediately blast us into dust at first sight." Ludo grinned knowingly. "Fortunately, I know a guy who's in decent standing with the Princess."

Angie placed Marco's plate of bacon, eggs, and a hash brown on the table. Raphael was already eating his breakfast and Mariposa was in her high chair playing with a rattle, banging the toy on her tray. Angie walked over to the bottom of the stairs.

"Marco! Breakfast!" Angie called up. When she didn't get a reply, she sighed and walked up the stairs. Angie made her way to Marco's bedroom door and knocked three times.

"Marco? Sweetie, are you up?" Angie pushed the door open and peaked inside. Marco was still in bed, lying on his back and snoring away.

Angie brought her hands to her lips and let out a sharp whistle.

"What?! What?! I'm up! What?!" Marco quickly sat up and looked around with wide eyes. "What happened?! What did Star burn down this time?!"

"Uh, Marco? You're not in Mewni anymore," Angie reminded him. "You're back in Echo Creek."

Marco blinked and looked around. "...Oh. Right. No more…no more Mewni."

"Breakfast is ready," Angie said. "Come down and eat once you're ready."

"Okay, Mom. I'll be right down."

Angie smiled before closing the door. Marco sighed and got out of bed. He took off his pajamas and got into his normal black pants and red hoodie. Marco walked over to his nightstand and pulled open the drawer. He took out the ruby pendant Star had given him and held it up, staring at the gem with a melancholy look. Marco put the necklace on and tucked the star-shaped gem under his hoodie.

Marco walked out of his room and made his way downstairs. He entered the kitchen, gave Mariposa a kiss on the forehead and ruffled the baby's hair, then sat down to eat his breakfast.

"Morning, champ," said Raphael. "How's it feel to be back in your own dimension? Not really a question I ever thought I would ever ask one of my children, but nothing makes sense to me anymore in this day and age, so why not?"

"It's…calmer now than it's been for me." Marco picked up his fork and dug in. "Normally before breakfast, I have an argument with the kitchen staff about corn. Then after breakfast, I have to follow Star around and keep her from blowing something up, then clean up the mess when that fails. Then there was training with Higgs, Star's tutoring, Hekapoo's side jobs, and whatever event I had to go to."

"Wow, Mewni really kept you busy," Raphael commented.

"Right?" said Marco. "It's actually a little weird for all of that to suddenly be…gone."

"Oh, by the way, Marco, Jackie called earlier," Angie said. "She said she tried to call you but couldn't get a hold of you."

"Yeah, I don't have a phone anymore," Marco said. "A small genie ate my phone and spat out a magic mirror, and then I got my mirror taken away so I couldn't contact anyone outside of our dimension."

"Well, it's about time we upgraded anyway," said Angie. "Jackie was about to start a game of soccer with some of her friends when she called. She wanted you to meet her for lunch at Brita's Tacos after her game."

"Okay, cool." Marco finished his breakfast, then sat there and drummed his fingers on the table. "...Huh. I guess I'm totally free until lunch. Not really used to having nothing to do for several hours."

"If you're bored, you can clean up the guest room for me," Angie suggested. "Now that Eclisse, eh, Eclipsa, is gone, the guest room needs to be reset for the next fugitive we take in."

"Yeah, sure. I'll brush my teeth and get right on it." Marco put his plate and silverware in the sink, then went upstairs.

"Is he okay?" Raphael asked.

"He misses Mewni," said Angie. "But, Marco's tough. He'll pull through."

"Mawco."

Marco opened the door and walked into the guest room where Eclipsa had stayed. The former Queen and former nanny didn't really have a lot of stuff, except for a CD player and some heavy metal CD's, also a yoga mat and a trash can filled with chocolate bar wrappers. Marco didn't think this would take very long. He would just need to vacuum and put the sheets and blankets in the washing machine. Maybe dust a little bit here and there. Take out the trash too. Marco wasn't sure what he was going to do with Eclipsa's CD's. Maybe Oskar would want them.

Marco let out a sigh. He found himself weirdly missing the centuries-old Queen of Darkness who watched over him like a ghost when he was little and then became his baby sister's nanny without his knowledge. Eclipsa was a dark magic user, just like Marco was. She said that the dark magic connected them. And, he believed it. Marco looked over at the mirror on the boudoir. For a brief moment, he let his cheek marks show and stared into his reflection at the glowing, red, crescent moons. In no hurry to get the cleaning done, Marco went over and sat down on the bed. For no reason in particular, Marco opened the nightstand drawer to see what was in there.

There was a folded piece of paper in the drawer with the name 'Marco' written on it.

Marco blinked in surprise. Curiously, he picked up the paper and unfolded it.

To my dearest Marco, whom I have come to love like a son

Nothing can be hidden from those who are friends to the Darkness

If you ever wish to check on us, then may the All-Seeing Eye reveal all that you wish to see

Give my best to your parents and little Mariposa. And keep in mind, dear boy, no one likes a snoop, nor a peeper, as tempting as it may be for you with this spell

That last part made Marco's cheeks flush a bit. Below that was written a spell. The All-Seeing Eye spell. One of Queen Eclipsa's favorites.

Marco stared down at the written spell for a solid minute. Then he folded the paper up, put it in his pocket, and got to work on cleaning up the guest room.

"Okay, babies. Chow time!" Buff Frog placed twelve bowls of mushroom soup on the table in front of the hungry tadpoles.

The tadpoles, who had all recently developed legs, hopped into their bowls and began eating up the food.

"Hey, now! Show some table manners!" Buff Frog scolded his children. "As soon as arms and hands grow, I teach you children how to use fork and spoon. No more bathing in your own soup!"

There was a knock on the front door.

"Who could dat be?" Buff Frog walked over to the door and opened it up.

On the other side of the door was Ludo, accompanied by a large, intimidating Septarian with a crystal eye and a metal arm, wearing a purple cloak.

Buff Frog's eyes widened, then he frowned angrily at Ludo. "Vhat are you doing here, Ludo?" Buff Frog raised his spoon at the Septarian. "And vhy is dis assassin here vith you?"

"Buff Frog, this is Rasticore," Ludo said. "Don't worry, he's with me."

"Dat only make me vorry even more," said Buff Frog. "Vhy are you here?"

"To warn you," said Ludo. "And, to ask for your help."

"Varn me?" Buff Frog asked. "About vhat?"

"Meteora Butterfly," said Rasticore. "The long-lost child of Queen Eclipsa and King Globgor."

Buff Frog blinked and frowned. "...Dat's…not possible."

"It's true, Buff Frog," Ludo said. "She's alive, and she's getting ready to wreak havoc."

"On Mewmans?" Buff Frog.

"On whoever she wants," Ludo replied gravely. "First it'll be the Mewmans, no doubt. But after that, I think it'll be a matter of whoever happens to be in her way as she's rampaging through Mewni."

"You think she vill hurt Monsters?" Buff Frog asked. "But…she is daughter of King Globgor and Queen Eclipsa. They both protected Monsters."

"She doesn't care about sticking up for the Monsters. She doesn't care about any of that," said Ludo. "She wants blood. And she wants a lot of it."

Buff Frog stared down at the ground, then looked back to his twelve tadpoles slurping up their soup.

"...Vhat do you propose must be done?" Buff Frog asked.

"We have to warn the Butterflies," Ludo said. "I don't like them, but they're the only ones who can stop Meteora. She's becoming stronger and more unstable."

"Butterfly family vill never listen to us," said Buff Frog. "In case you have not noticed, ve are Monsters."

"The Princess might listen to you," Ludo said. "You've met her before, right? There was that whole interview thing I heard about?"

"How you know about dat?"

"Not important."

Buff Frog growled. "...Princess Star?" He scratched his chin. "Vell…da, maybe."

"It's our best bet," said Ludo. "We need you to talk to Princess Star so she can warn her people. Find a way to talk to the Princess. You're the only one who can."

Buff Frog sighed. "Fine. Let me call my sitter, then I go."

"Great!" Ludo shouted. "Who ya calling?"

"Lobster Claws, actually."

"Really? How's he doing?"

"He play piano now."

"Seriously? How's that work with the claws?"

"I did not say he play piano vell."

Marco took a bite out of his taco. "...Wow, these people just don't know how to do it right," he said. "They should have paid me a lot more for the good work I did with the food. I mean, my god, this is just sad."

"You know, it is extraordinarily hard to meet a guy who is so passionate about how to properly prepare food," Jackie said with a smirk. "You know, aside from the occasional grill guy."

"I thought girls appreciated a boyfriend who knows how to cook?" Marco asked.

"Oh, we do. We really do." Jackie smiled. "I just wanted to point it out."

Marco smiled back and took a drink of his horchata, only to grimace at the drink. "God, not even the horchata tastes authentic. I bet Oskar made this."

Jackie chuckled. "Take it easy, Gordon Ramsay. As cute as it is to watch you complain about the food, try to enjoy our little lunch date, okay?"

Marco blushed. He and Jackie were sitting across from each other at one of the picnic tables in front of Brita's Tacos. Being a former employee, Marco got a discount for him and Jackie since he was paying the bill for both of them, being a good boyfriend and all.

Jackie took a bite out of her burrito, chewed, then swallowed. "So…how's it feel to get fired?"

Marco sighed. "Not great. I mean, it could've been a lot worse. A lot worse. But, still, the whole thing just blows. I didn't just get fired, I got straight-up banned from the premises. At least it won't be going on my permanent record."

"Seemed like a really cool job too," said Jackie. "You got to live in a castle, you got to be a Knight, you went on badass motorcycle trips, you even got your own Knight trainee."

Marco nodded. "Yeah, it was a hell of a summer job. I even got to go to Hell."

Jackie drummed her fingers along the picnic table. "You also…got magic powers or something? Janna told me about that. She actually sounded a little jealous."

Marco blinked like a kid caught doing something bad. "...Dark magic, yeah." For a split second, he let his crescent moon cheek marks appear to show Jackie. "The Mewmans are afraid of this kind of magic, which is one of the reasons I was banned from Mewni."

"Woah. So…" Jackie shrugged. "How come you didn't tell me about your magic?"

"Jackie, come on. The less you knew, the safer you were," Marco said. "I didn't tell my parents about it either."

Jackie tilted her head. "Did you tell Star about it?"

"Uh, I, uh, well…" Marco coughed into his fist. "Look, I needed her help to teach me how to keep my magic under control. I couldn't go to the Queen and Glossaryck was rarely helpful. Star was my only option."

Jackie sighed. "Okay, fine, I'm sorry. I just…I wish I had been more involved with your stuff going on in Mewni. I didn't even get called to your trial. I…I feel like you didn't trust me with any of that stuff."

"Jackie, it's not that I didn't trust you. I just wanted to keep you separate from all of the crazy Mewni stuff I had to deal with," said Marco. "You're my girlfriend, and you're an awesome girlfriend. I didn't want to risk getting you into any trouble."

Jackie smiled teasingly. "How awesome am I?"

Marco blushed. "Um…I-I…you're really awesome, I mean…"

Jackie snickered at Marco. "You are so adorable, I could kiss you. And you know what? I think I will." Jackie leaned over the table and kissed Marco, who was happy to return the kiss.

Once they parted from the kiss, Marco inhaled and exhaled through his nose. "Look, I might've kept some things from you, and I'm sorry about that. But...none of it matters anymore. I'm never leaving this dimension again. I'll never go back to Mewni. From here on out, all I can do is focus on being human."

"But, you're going to miss Mewni, aren't you?" Jackie asked.

"I am. I really am," Marco admitted dolefully. "It was fun, I won't lie. But...that part of my life is over now."

"Are you going to miss Star?" Jackie asked softly.

Marco looked away with a guilty look on his face. "...Yeah."

Jackie looked at the table and nodded. "Yeah. I'll miss her too. She was really cool."

Marco groaned and rubbed his temples. "Look, Jackie. I'm sorry about all of the…you know…between the three of us. Aside from that one kiss, I never even considered cheating on you. Me and Star, we both knew it could never happen."

"You don't need to apologize, Marco." Jackie smiled warmly. "You could've cheated on me a dozen times with a dozen different girls. But, you stayed loyal to me. Even as you and Star grew closer."

"Of course I did," Marco said. "You're my girlfriend. And besides, it didn't matter how I felt about Star. She's a Princess. And, I'm just a guy from a completely different world. It never would've worked out."

Marco stared into his cup and swirled the drink around. Jackie took notice of how down Marco looked and put a comforting hand over his hand.

"Hey, how about we go to your house and play with Mariposa?" Jackie suggested. "That'll put a smile on both our faces."

"Heh. Yeah, good idea. We'll head to my place after we eat." Marco took another bite out of his taco, only to give it another disappointed grimace. "On second thought, how about we go now?"

Queen Moon stepped into the strategy room, a steely gaze set on her face. Instead of her regular formal attire, she was now wearing a battle-dress armor set with a pair of swords strapped to her sides. Instead of a heart shape, her baby-blue hair had been lowered to a single braid, with a small, gold tiara fixed into her do.

The strategy room was currently occupied by Sir Stabby the Sharp, Hekapoo the Scissor Enforcer, Mina Loveberry of the Solarian Warriors, and former Queen of Mewni, Eclipsa Butterfly. Queen Moon stepped up to the table in the center of the room and ran her finger along the map of Mewni laid before her.

"Once the townspeople have been evacuated, we'll station the Knights around the castle borders," Moon ordered. "We don't know what Meteora is capable of or what she has planned exactly, nor do we know who she will have with her, assuming she has done any recruiting. We must prepare for anything. However, I'm sure the castle will be her main focus. Sir Stabby, I'll need you to get the Knights ready. Enlist the squires if you are in need of any extra hands."

"Consider it done, your highness," said Sir Stabby, saluting his Queen.

"Good." Queen Moon turned to Eclipsa. "I will give you a chance to reason with Meteora. But if you fail, the Magic High Commission will be forced to intervene."

"What do you mean by 'intervene?'" Eclipsa asked skeptically.

"The people must be protected," said Moon. "Best case scenario, we have her crystallized, but unharmed."

"And, worst case scenario?" Eclipsa demanded.

"Ah, come on, Queen Moon. Are you really gonna trust this Monster-smoochin' deserter?" Mina crossed her arms angrily. "She betrayed Mewni and hogged a big, fat loogie on her mother's legacy!"

"Ah, Mina. You really haven't changed at all, have you?" Eclipsa remarked flatly. "Still the battle-crazed, one-track-minded maniac my mother created in her image."

"Don't you dare speak ill of Queen Solaria!" Mina shouted angrily. "Haven't you shamed her good name enough?!"

"What good name?"

"Why you traitorous monster-groper. I oughta-"

"Enough," Queen Moon commanded. "Mina, your orders are to stand by in case the Magic High Commission fails to stop Meteora. And not before. Understand?"

"...Yes, my Queen," Mina replied. Although, she didn't sound happy about it.

"Good." Moon turned to Hekapoo. "Get the MHC ready. We'll send Eclipsa in first, then the four of you will proceed if things go wrong."

Hekapoo nodded. She opened an orange portal and stepped through. The portal blinked away once she was gone.

"Gettin' ready for battle. Now this is what I love!" King River, wearing fur armor and wielding a double-bladed axe, walked into the strategy room. "When are you sending me in, my lovely Queen? I'm ready to maul, baby!"

"Don't call me 'baby.'"

"Yes, dear."

"I will not be sending you in, River," said Moon. "You and Star are to stay in the castle."

"What?!" River cried. "Oh, now, that is just mean. How could ya do this to me, Moonpie? You know I love a good skirmish!"

"River, I need you by Star's side, where I know you'll be safe and able to protect our daughter," Moon said.

"But, what will you be doing?" River asked.

"My job." Moon placed her hands on River's shoulders and gave her husband a kiss. "Do as I ask, River. Please."

River sighed. "Okay, okay. Do what must be done, Moonpie. I'll stay with Star. Curse it, I haven't been this disappointed since you made me stop wrestling bears in the forest. I mean, come on, I've been doing it since I was twelve."

"I'll make it up to you once this is all done and over with, River." Moon smiled and tapped River's nose playfully. "I promise."

River pulled on his collar and grinned like a fool.

"Gross."

Moon and River turned to see Star walk into the strategy room. She was wearing Marco's red hoodie with the hood over her head and the sleeves tied over her chest as if it were a cape of some sort.

"Ah, good. There you are, Star," said Moon.

"So, I am technically grounded," Star said bitterly. "You're not letting me leave the castle? Not even to help you with Meteora?"

"I am simply making sure all of the necessary precautions are being taken," Moon said. "Including keeping my daughter safe."

"Because I can't keep myself safe?" Star crossed her arms. "I can keep myself safe, thank you very much. And I can help you stop Meteora."

"Listen, Star, sweetheart," Eclipsa came up and placed a hand on Star's shoulder. "Chances are, all that needs to be done is for me to talk to Meteora. She might have Butterfly magic, but she's had no training. And maybe she has enlisted some Monsters to fight for her, but I'm sure they can be dealt with. Hopefully, with no casualties. This should be a fairly easy operation. Nothing you need to get involved with."

"Whatever," said Star.

"Oh, my poor, dear girl," Eclipsa brought a hand to her chest. "Still upset over Marco's exile, are we?"

Star looked away and blushed. She pulled the hood down over her face a little bit more.

"Your majesty! We caught a trespasser!" A pair of Knights holding a Monster by his arms dragged the poor Monster into the strategy room. "Shall we throw him in the dungeon?"

Star looked over at the Monster being held by the Knights. She gasped as she recognized the restrained frog monster. "Buff Frog!"

"Hello, Princess," Buff Frog gave Star a pleasant smile and a wave. "Vassup?"

"Let him go! He's a good guy!" Star demanded.

"He's a Monster!" Mina cried. "Skewer the fat toad!"

Buff Frog frowned sadly down at his big belly. "Ouch."

"Mom, come on!" Star begged. "For once, forget Mewni's idiocy and do the right thing! Please!"

Queen Moon stared hard at Buff Frog, who returned her harsh gaze with a pitiful one.

"...Release him."

The Knights let go of Buff Frog, who stepped forward nervously. "Eh-heh-heh. Thank you, Queen Moon. Please do not kill me. I have twelve children."

"By the Stump, man," River said in bewilderment. "We barely survived the one."

"Gee, thanks, Dad," Star said flatly. "Buff Frog, what are you doing here?"

"I have come to varn you, Star," Buff Frog replied gravely. "I have been in contact vith Ludo, who has been, eh, 'enlisted,' by Meteora Butterfly."

"So she has been recruiting Monsters," said Moon.

"Da. Ludo and the old gang, as vell as Septarian mercenary who vants out just as much as Ludo does. Refused to say vhy, though," Buff Frog explained. "Ludo told me everything. Meteora is getting stronger as vell as angrier. Ludo vas not sure vhat exactly she is planning, but is going to be violent. That much is clear. Meteora is ready to kill, and then bathe in the blood vonce she is done. She does not vant justice, she vants vengeance. And she is going to keep her rampage going once the Mewmans are dead, possibly taking the Monsters out vith rest of Mewni."

"Has she gotten that bad?" Eclipsa asked worriedly.

"Even vorse, according to Ludo. She has become quite insane." Buff Frog blinked. "Eh…sorry, who are you?"

"Guess," Eclipsa said with a sly grin.

Buff Frog's eyes widened. "...Oh…"

"If you are working with Ludo, then where is he?" Queen Moon asked.

"Ludo and Septarian ally have returned to Avarius Castle, vhere Meteora is readying for attack of some sort," said Buff Frog. "Dey must not do anything to make Meteora suspicious of treachery. Dey only came to me for help because dey needed neutral party."

"If Meteora is becoming so dangerous, then we may need to further increase our security," Moon said. "After all, she has the gifts of both a Butterfly Queen and a Size-Shifter King."

"And according to Septarian, she is growing into her powers, both maternal and paternal," said Buff Frog.

"Oh, dear," said Eclipsa. "I can still talk to her, I can still resolve this peacefully."

"I hope so. I truly do," Moon said. "But if you cannot, I must remind you that I will ensure Mewni's safety."

Eclipsa bit her lip and looked away.

"This is stupid! We should just take out the both of them!" Mina shouted. "She's a Monster-smoocher and her daughter is a half-breed freak!"

"Watch your mouth," Eclipsa growled with a chilling tone, eyes glowing like poisonous violets. "You have no room to call anyone a freak, Loveberry. You were a poor, filthy rag girl before my mother transformed you into a psychotic beast, who should have expired along with the rest of her fellow mad dogs."

"Okay, that's it!" Mina transformed into her Solarian form and hovered over Eclipsa. "I am gonna rip ya a new one, you no good traitor!"

"Mina!" Queen Moon shouted. "Stand down now! That is an order from your Queen!"

Mina narrowed her eyes at Eclipsa, who didn't even flinch, simply staring at the Solarian Warrior with a dead gaze. Mina hovered down to the floor and reverted back into her regular form.

Queen Moon gave Mina a warning look before turning to Sir Stabby. "Get the Knights ready."

"Yes, my Queen." Sir Stabby hurried out of the strategy room.

Queen Moon turned to Buff Frog. "When does Meteora plan to begin her attack?"

"I do not know," said Buff Frog. "Ludo and Septarian tell me Meteora vill not tell her plan. She spend most of her time mumbling to herself in creepy manner."

"In that case," Moon stared down at the map of Mewni. "All we can do now is wait."

Eclipsa took a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh. "...Do you trust me enough to let me go to the washroom by myself or must I be accompanied by your Knights?"

"Go ahead," said Moon. "But you better not-"

"I'm not going anywhere, Moon." Eclipsa headed out of the room. "Honestly, out of all the people here, you really think I'm the least dependable?"

Moon shook her head in irritation before turning to face her daughter. "Stay close to your father, Star. You are not to leave the castle until further notice."

"Yes, your highness," Star said with a mock bow. "After all, your word is law, and your intuition and decision-making are without fault."

"Oh, honestly, Star, don't be childish," Moon said.

"Why, because it's not befitting of a Princess?" Star asked bitterly.

"Because now is not the time for this," said Moon. "Star, I'm sorry about Marco, but we are preparing for war now. So-"

"So what, Mom? So just forget about Marco?" Star snapped angrily. "The guy you kicked out of Mewni and out of my life just because he scared you?"

"Marco is gone, Star. He's not coming back," Moon said. "And there are more important things going on right now than you missing your crush, and your attitude is not helping the situation."

Star let out an exasperated groan. "By the Stump, you and this kingdom both suck!" she shouted before storming out of the strategy.

"Star, wait!" Moon reached for her daughter, but stopped herself. She took a moment to frown sadly before focusing her attention on the map of Mewni.

Star caught up to her ancestor down the hall. "Eclipsa, hold up!"

Eclipsa turned around. "Yes, Star?"

"Eclipsa. I want to help," Star said. "She's your daughter, and what happened to your family was just terrible. Please," Star's face became pleading. "Just tell me how I can help. And, I'll do it."

Eclipsa smiled warmly. She brought a hand up and cupped Star's cheek gently. "I appreciate that, sweetheart. I really do. But if what Buff Frog says is true, then the only way to finish this peacefully is for me to talk to my daughter and calm her down. Then once your mother frees Globgor as she promised, the three of us leave, and are never heard from again."

"Globgor?" Star asked.

"Yes. He was crystallized and left in the Monster Temple," Eclipsa explained. "We were staying in Globgor's ancestral home, planning to leave the dimension, when the MHC got to us first."

"Corn, Mewni really does suck," Star griped. "I have a lot of work to do when I become Queen."

"You will make a wonderful Queen, my dear," said Eclipsa. "I have no doubt about it."

Star sighed and looked away glumly. "...I miss Marco."

"I know you do, dear. I do as well," Eclipsa replied gently. "The boy definitely lives up to all three of his names."

"What do you mean?" Star asked.

"Something Angie and Raphael told me about Marco's name," Eclipsa explained. "'Marco' is a Latin name meaning 'warlike.' He was no warmonger like my mother, thank goodness, but he was an honest soldier and a noble knight. Ubaldo, after his great-grandfather, means 'bold mind.' I believe you and I can both agree that fits Marco quite well."

"What does Diaz mean?" Star asked.

"It's Latin for 'days,' said Eclipsa. "Which, I actually found quite suiting for Marco. Like it marked him as an agent of new beginnings, as if it were his destiny all along to bring change to Mewni. And, I believe he has indeed. It's up to you now, my dear."

"Eclipsa. You wouldn't happen to know any…" Star looked around to make sure no one was listening before speaking in a hushed voice. "secret ways to travel between dimensions, would you? Or at least some kind of way to communicate with others across dimensions?"

Eclipsa smiled and chuckled in a mysterious manner befitting a Queen of Darkness. "A red moon in the sky like the broken heart of Night, with countless stars his tears. Yearning for his love, the Day, whom he hasn't seen in years. They chase each other constantly, forever cursed to be apart. But the love they share is strong as stone, and creates a work of art."

Star raised an eyebrow. "Wha?"

"A little bit of the poetry I enjoyed reading during my time as Queen." Eclipsa turned around and continued down the hall. "Night and Day, as different as they seemed, loved each other dearly. And in twilight's glow till dusk's final bow, their love is expressed quite clearly."

Star blinked in confusion. "So…was that a yes or a no?"

Eclipsa stopped and turned around, grinning at her descendant. "The Day is very bright, and the Night is oh-so-cunning. When the Night finds her way to Day, the Equinox shall be stunning."

"Equinox?" Star asked.

"When the Night meets the Day in full equilibrium, and covers the world in both the warming light of the sun and the guiding glow of the moon." Eclipsa laughed and continued on her way to the washroom. "Be patient, Princess. Your Knight found his way to you before. I wouldn't doubt that he'd do it again."

Star watched in confusion as her ancestor walked away. "That wasn't helpful whatsoever!" she called after her. "I thought Glossaryck was supposed to be the annoyingly cryptic one?!"

Eclipsa found her way to the washroom and went inside, locking the door behind her. She went to the sink to splash some water on her face. The former Queen of Mewni stared into her reflection in the mirror. Unsure even herself of why, she peeled her gloves off and set them down on the sink counter. The dark stains on her arms were like the blight on a tree. No matter what Eclipsa had tried, the stains never came off. Nothing magical nor medicinal could remove the marks of darkness on her arms. Eclipsa stared down at her stained arms remorsefully.

"I could have done things differently," she whispered sadly to herself. "If I had, then perhaps none of this would be happening."

"Yeah, maybe."

It no longer spooked Eclipsa when Glossaryck appeared out of nowhere. She had become used to it growing up as a child. Eclipsa looked over to see Glossaryck looking into the mirror and combing his beard.

"Where in the name of Urania have you been?" Eclipsa demanded. "You come to Earth to warn me about Marco's trial and Meteora's rage and then you just vanish once more?"

"There's nothing I can do about this mess," Glossaryck said. "The future of Mewni now rests in the hands dealt from the deck."

"Beg pardon?" said Eclipsa.

"Don't you play poker?" Glossaryck asked. "It's all about chance, taking a risk, and having faith. And, if you're lucky enough, winning big."

"And, if you're not, losing everything," said Eclipsa.

Glossaryck shrugged. "Yeah, it could happen."

Eclipsa groaned and ran a stained hand down her face. "Why are you never helpful?"

"Because you never listen," said Glossaryck. "They never do. Not even Marco, who had to have been the smartest magic user I ever trained."

Eclipsa growled at the small genie. "And to think I was foolish enough to leave Festivia in your care."

"Hey, I think I did pretty well with Festivia. You should be proud of her," Glossaryck said. "Sure, she was a party girl, but she turned out to be nothing like her Spiderbite family. As far as Queens of Mewni go, she didn't turn out half bad."

Eclipsa just gave Glossaryck a cold stare.

Glossaryck sighed and, with a flick of his wrist, tossed his comb into the trash can. If you could have seen how filthy Glossaryck's beard had made the comb, you'd understand why it belonged in the trash.

"It's out of my hands, Eclipsa. The cards have been dealt and the pieces are in place. All I can do now is watch as it all unfolds."

"To what end?" Eclipsa asked.

"To the inevitable end," said Glossaryck. "And the inevitable beginning."

"And…Marco?" Eclipsa asked. "Has my ace been put back in the deck for good?"

"Maybe, maybe not." Glossaryck grinned. "But, if I were to place a wager, I'd say Mewni is indeed due for an Equinox."

"Who's a wittle cutie? Who's a wittle cutie?" Jackie tickled the baby's feet. "You are. Yes you are."

Mariposa giggled and grabbed Jackie's platinum-blond hair. Jackie laughed as the baby pulled on the turquoise strand in her hair. "Oh my God, can you be any more adorable? You're just like your brother."

Seated next to Jackie on the couch, Marco looked away to hide his blushing smile. Mariposa looked over at her brother and grabbed her little hands toward him.

"Up. I think she wants you now." Jackie handed Mariposa over to Marco, who sat the baby down on his lap. Mariposa grabbed Marco's finger and began sucking on it like it was her pacifier.

"Awwww," Jackie cooed. "She prefers you over her binky."

"What's wrong, Mariposa? Is Jackie not good enough for you to slobber on?" Marco asked.

Mariposa took Marco's finger out of her mouth and looked over at Jackie. "...Da…kee."

"Hey, she's trying to say something!" Jackie said excitedly.

"Da…kee," Mariposa repeated. "...Dakee."

"Dakee?" Marco's eyes widened. "I think she's trying to say 'Jackie.'"

"Really?" Jackie beamed at Mariposa. "Are you trying to say 'Jackie?'"

"Dakee!" Mariposa kicked her feet happily. "Dakee!"

"Awwwwwwwww!" Jackie's eyes sparkled at the baby. "Am I her second word?!"

"I think so, yeah," Marco said. "Whatever you do, don't tell my mom. She was kinda hoping it'd be 'mama.'"

Mariposa looked around the living room, as if she were trying to find something. She blinked a few times before looking up at Marco.

"...Staw?"

Marco and Jackie both blinked at the baby in surprise. They looked at each other, getting an idea on what Mariposa was trying to say.

"Staw?" Mariposa asked again.

Jackie sighed, smiling gently down at the baby. "I guess she misses her too."

Marco picked Mariposa up and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "We all will."

Mariposa noticed something under Marco's hoodie and reached for it curiously. She grabbed the chain of Marco's ruby necklace and pulled the pendant out from under the red garment.

"Hey, easy with that!" Marco took the star-shaped pendant out of Mariposa's hands. "That's not a toy."

Jackie frowned at the pendant. "Where'd you get that?"

"Wha…oh." As he held the pendant out of the baby's eager reach, Marco cleared his throat awkwardly. "It…it was a gift from a friend."

Jackie stared at the star-shaped gem. "...I see."

"Jackie-"

"You three having fun down here?"

Marco handed Mariposa over to Jackie and tucked his pendant back under his hoodie as Mr. and Mrs. Diaz came down the stairs.

"Yeah, we're having a blast," Marco said. "As…tentative as I have grown toward that metaphor."

"Well, I hate to do this, but I'm going to have to confiscate that baby from you kids." Angie took Mariposa from the disappointed Jackie.

"Aw, what?" Jackie whined. "Why?"

"Mariposa has her doctor's appointment today," Angie explained. "We're bringing her in for another well-baby visit."

"Oh, dang it. Alright then." Jackie stood up to give Mariposa a kiss. "Bye-bye, Mariposa."

"We'll be back later." Raphael walked up and opened the door. "Keep an eye on the place."

"And even though the two of you will have the place to yourselves," Angie walked to the door and gave Marco and Jackie a teasing grin. "Try to be responsible, okay?"

Marco and Jackie both flushed with embarrassment and looked away from each other.

Angie laughed as she and Raphael left the house and shut the door behind them. Jackie folded her hands over her lap and Marco patted his hands on the couch.

"Embarrassing parents," Marco muttered. "One of the worst fears a teenager has."

"I think your parents are really cool," said Jackie. "They're super sweet people."

"I know, but, you know what I mean, right? Don't you have embarrassing parents?" Marco asked. "...Actually, come to think of it, I don't think I've ever met your parents."

"Yeah, and I think I'll keep it that way." Jackie bit her lip and looked away. "My parents are very…opinionated people."

"Meaning?" Marco asked.

"Meaning they don't know that you and I are dating and they probably wouldn't agree with me dating a Hispanic boy."

"...Oh." Marco blinked. "...Those kinds of people, huh?"

"Yup," said Jackie. "They don't even like that I hang out with Janna because she's Filipino."

"Janna's Filipino?" Marco asked. "Hand to God, I always thought 'Ordonia' was Italian."

"No, she's Filipino. Look it up."

"Look it up?"

"Yeah, she posts all about herself on her Myspace page."

"Oh."

Jackie stared at Marco's chest, where the ruby pendant was hidden underneath the hoodie. It looked like she was making an attempt to keep the smile on her face. "...You're really gonna miss Mewni, aren't you? That whole world has really left its mark on you, hasn't it?"

Marco closed his eyes and sighed. "Yeah. Mewni…Mewni has changed me. And I don't just mean giving me magic. The place might've been a kingdom of small-minded jerks who ate way too much corn, but…it had its moments. Mewni has a…particular sort of charm that you had to see by looking past all of the weird, crazy, and sometimes ugly stuff."

"And…Star?" Jackie asked softly.

"I'll miss Star, yeah." Marco nodded. "But…she's gone. I'll never see her or any of Mewni again. Just, back to square one, really. In addition to the fact I now possess dark magic due to being mutated by some kind of otherworldly aether, making me into some kind of magical Mewman-Human freak of nature. So…yeah, there's…there's that."

Jackie stared at Marco, who hung his head and stared down at the floor. She had a curious and thoughtful look on her face, like she was coming to a decision about something. She then scooted over and kissed Marco's cheek before laying her head on his shoulder.

"It'll be okay, Marco," Jackie said gently. "One of the things that I've always loved about you was that no matter how hard you fall, you always get right back up. Like skateboarding. And you know I love skateboarding."

"Yeah, I know you do, ya sports maniac," Marco said with a small smile. "Speaking of which, how did that game of soccer go this morning?"

"It was fun, thanks for asking. Bunch of us early bird girls getting our game on after breakfast in the cool summer morning air. My team won, of course." Jackie lifted her arm and sniffed her armpit in a very unladylike manner. "Eh, speaking of which, I'm still a little rank. You mind if I use your shower?"

"Uh, sure. Knock yourself out," said Marco.

"Terrific." Jackie stood up off the couch.

Then she grabbed Marco's hand and pulled him along with her as she headed upstairs.

"Wha-what? What's happening? What's going on?" Marco's eyes widened as his face turned bright red. "...Oh snap."

Queen Eclipsa wished she had put on some better boots before sneaking off into the night. Her legs sank into the ground halfway to the knee with every step she took. Eclipsa's walking was a series of wet 'plop' sounds. She knew she had to be careful where she stepped. The bog was dangerous at night. If you stepped into the wrong spot, down you went, and down you stayed.

After much difficulty, with the guide of the glow of her wand, Eclipsa made her way to more solid ground, much to her relief. She found a tree stump to sit on and sat down, folded her hands over her lap, and waited patiently in the dark, giving her plenty of time to wonder why she didn't use her wand to just float over the bog.

After a bit of waiting, Eclipsa began to feel the ground tremor. The tremors increased a little bit at a time until Eclipsa watched as a house-sized Globgor struggled out of the bog and onto the solid ground. His huge legs were covered in wet mud, which he attempted to shake off of him back into the bog.

"Yuck." Globgor stuck his tongue out at his wet and muddy feet. "Wet feet. Boy, do I hate wet feet. 'Cause then you get trench foot, and then your feet get all wrinkly, you know? Then they get all cracked and blistered, and that's just awful."

Eclipsa giggled into her hand. "Oh, Globgor."

"Glad to know you're getting a kick at my expense." Globgor shrank to his normal size and walked up to Eclipsa. He pulled up a rock and sat down next to her. "So, how's life as Queen of Mewni?"

"Little Festivia manages to put a smile on my face." Eclipsa frowned. "And she's the only thing anymore that does."

"That bad?" Globgor asked.

"Globby, you don't understand. The things I have to do, the people I have to deal with. It's all just as awful as it is ridiculous." Eclipsa covered her face with her hands. "I can barely even be a mother to my own daughter. Shastacan's family is always buzzing about her like the insects they are. They don't want me to be any kind of mentor to Festivia, and most of Mewni agrees with them."

"They want her to be a Spiderbite, and not…like you," Globgor guessed.

"Exactly." Eclipsa looked up at Globgor with teary eyes. "I can't keep doing this, Globgor. I just can't. Turning this Kingdom around is beyond my abilities. My people don't even like or trust me, so why should I continue to be their Queen?"

"What are you saying?" Globgor asked.

Eclipsa grabbed a hold of Globgor's arm and looked up into his eyes with a hopeful and eager gaze.

"Let's run away together."

Globgor blinked. "What?"

"Let's leave Mewni. Let's leave it all behind." Eclipsa's eyes shone with excitement at the very idea. "You and me. We'll start a life together somewhere else."

"Eclipsa, that's crazy," said Globgor. "Where would we go?"

"Anywhere. I don't care where," Eclipsa replied. "So long as it isn't this place."

"But…but what about Festivia?" Globgor asked. "Would we take her with us?"

Eclipsa closed her eyes and sighed, resting her forehead on Globgor's arm.

"...I don't think I can do that."

"What? What do you mean?" Globgor asked. "Eclipsa, she's your daughter."

"Glossaryck rarely tells me anything helpful or worth my interest. However, he continues to tell me that 'it will be a Butterfly who saves this Kingdom from itself.'" Eclipsa quoted that last part with a mock impression of Glossaryck's voice. "Glossaryck might be irritating beyond measure, but he's never told me a lie before."

"You mean Festivia will be the one to turn Mewni around?" Globgor asked.

"Or perhaps someone further down the line." Eclipsa looked up at her beloved. "Mewni has never given me anything that I wanted. But, then again, I have never done anything for Mewni. Perhaps I owe it to Mewni to leave a Butterfly in line for the throne. I will forever hate myself for it, but…Festivia must inherit the throne, so that the throne will belong to the Butterflies. And, perhaps one day, Glossaryck's words will prove to be true, and one of us will save this Kingdom."

"Eclipsa, you're the Queen of Mewni. And I'm the Monster King." Globgor placed a hand on Eclipsa's shoulder. "We can't just abandon our responsibilities."

"Speaking of responsibilities, actually, there's one more thing you should know." Eclipsa took a deep breath and looked up at Globgor, a big smile on her face.

"I'm pregnant again."

Globgor's eyes widened as he gasped. "...Oh… Oh, dear." Globgor looked away. "So, Festivia has a little sister on the way, huh?"

"Indeed." Eclipsa's smile widened. "A half-sister, that is."

"Wha-what? What do you mean? What…?" Globgor's face contorted with a look of pure astoundment and shock. "...Oh snap."

"This can't be that much of a surprise to you, darling. You know, considering," Eclipsa grinned. "recent events."

Globgor's face blushed madly as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah… Y-yeah. Good…good point."

Eclipsa got up to sit down on Globgor's lap, resting her head against the Monster King's chest. "So, now that you know…what do you say?"

Globgor sighed and tilted Eclipsa's head up to meet her gaze, smiling warmly.

"...Eclipsa Butterfly…will you run away with me? As my wife?"

"Yes!" With tears of joy in her eyes, Eclipsa wrapped Globgor in a tight embrace. "Yes, Globgor, yes!"

Globgor had a big smile on his face as he returned the hug. "...Have you…thought of any names? You know how bad I am at coming up with names."

"Yes, I recall you suggesting to name my firstborn 'Webba.'"

"She's half Spiderbite. Spider. Spider web. Webba." Globgor shrugged. "I still think there could have been more done with the fact that she's a Butterfly as well. Is there such a thing as a butterfly spider? Or a spider butterfly? Is either one of those an actual thing?"

Eclipsa laughed and gave Globgor a kiss. "By the Stump, I love you."

Ace of Spades: Traditionally, the highest and most valued card in the deck. It has come to symbolize power, success, and good fortune. Also called the Spadille, as well as the Death Card.