Marco at a Crossroads

By: DJ Rodriguez

(Author's Notes: Hey everyone! Glad to see many long and good reviews up from the last chapter! I really appreciate and humbled by the reviews from you all! Thank you!

But before I say or do anything else, I want to give praise and glory to the Lord. Thank you God for sticking with me and my family for the year, and I believe you will be with us when 2020 hits! Thank you Jesus for all that you have done for me, my friends, my family and also to those out there that have supported me in my writing endeavors. I hope you have a wonderful birthday Jesus, which is Christmas to celebrate you! You are the reason for ALL seasons, and I hope to do my best for you Lord! Thank you once again for everything, especially the gift of imagination you put into me when I was still in my mother & I hope to use wisely and greatly in your name!

Thank you to all who have supported me, both here at this story and with my Disney/Toho novels & specials. I still am trying to get said companies to look at my Monsters and Magic series, but sadly coming up negative. If any of you have some ideas or ways to help me to promote my works, than please do so! I have nothing to offer except my gratitude if any of you do this, and I hope it is enough. YouTube reviews, pictures, anything that helps to promote my Disney/Toho works and specials will be very much welcome and appreciated.

Also, if any of you wish to make pictures or a comic series out of this story here, be my guest!

On another note, I left a poll up in my Profile/Bio page here at the site. I would appreciate it if you look it over and vote, but first to check out my 2nd Annual Disney/Toho Kaiju Music Video Awards special before voting since said poll is linked to it.

Also, I would like to advertise two Author friends' stories that I had a minor hand in helping with. Look for Women's Wrestling Submission-Total Knock-Out Association by Author AdventureKing2017, it's a Total Drama story that we both worked on. Cody, the main hero of the story, is blessed with an opportunity from a deceased relative who writes in his will to carry on a dream of his. And that is… women wrestling! So Cody decides to take a leap of faith and goes for it, changing the name of organization and re-working it to become more modern but with a class & flair like was shown in the past. Many former female Total Drama contestants will be there, along with OC's that I help the Author make for the story. Rated T for teen, though it may have the possibility of being bumped up to M-rated in future.

The next story is Monsters and Magic: Prologue to Legacy by Author DRAGONDAVE45. He is making the sequel to the trilogy Monsters and Magic series I made! It holds promise, but anyone can continue my series. Just as long as they read the rules I laid down in one of my epilogues in my mini-novel Monsters and Magic Special: Sofia's Imagination. To read them & abide by them.

And to end it off, my Author friend Data Seeker is still looking for partners/friends to help him with his work. So please PM him to get the info necessary on the stories he needs work on.

In this chapter, see what happens when the weekday starts & also Marco learns more on what it means to be a true Christian as he reads I Am The Christian The Devil Warned You About by Mario Murillo. The book is actually real so if you do see it anywhere in a book store and such, I recommend purchasing it. It is quite raw, powerful and eye-opening in a lot of ways that will be shown here in the story. Also, Marco WILL be given a Bible later on in the future. What the name of said Bible is… well, you'll just have to keep reading to see.

On a final note, I will be fleshing out the characters as much as I can. Both minor and major, but not to get too carried away with it. I believe in finding the fine line balance in everything, especially in my work. Not perfect mind you, but enough that it satisfies me.

So again, just to be sure I am clear… trust in what I do. I may not be a total expert with the Star Vs. series, but I will do my best with what I know and pick up along the way. In addition, I have been seeing a lot of old cartoon series that I have on DVD, still working in fine condition. They consist of both Disney & non-Disney series, and thus I have enjoyed & learned much from them to put in here. So this story will also have educational purposes, similar to shows that combined education with entertainment in the 1980s and 1990s.

The action will also take place mostly on Earth, with some taking place in Mewni. The dimension where time is greatly accelerated, Hekapoo's home, will only be shown a minor number of times. After seeing the Diaz's losing their two kids once more to rapid growing up to them not being part of their lives… I will not have anything like that here. I believe that parents should see their kids grow, help them grow and become good adults in the process. So Mariposa nor Marco will return to Hekapoo's home realm.

So just to make it clear here. There will be NO kind of reference to slash or femme-slash of any kind. So while this is a Marco/Multiple Girls story, there will be NO kind of slash or femme-slash actions or references here at all. I believe that I can bring forth the true and real potential of Jackie and the other ladies here, more so than was done/shown to them in the series.

And that is my stance on this story, and all others I have made and will make in the future. Look to my bio to understand me and more on where I stand firmly. And again, this story will feature Christian elements and faith! And that I am not sorry at all for!

Also, will be giving my OC names from the website 20000-NAMES, as I have done in my previous stories. Each name is linked to a different nation, and has a different meaning. To see what they mean, go to website to look it up.

I do not own Star vs. the Forces of Evil, it is created by Daron Nefcy & executive producers Daron Nefcy, Dave Wasson and Jordana Arkin. Production is the Disney Television Animation, and aired on network Disney XD and Disney Channel.

Now, on with the story!)

The date is June 3rd 2019, a Monday morning as the citizens of Echo Creek started to wake up as the sun rose in the distance. It was 7:30 a.m., various people now out and about as the day started for them. At the Diaz residence, Angie was in the kitchen making breakfast for the family and the special guests that were also stirring. Rafael Diaz was already up, sitting in the living room with his precious treasure Mariposa in his lap. The two were watching an episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, a favorite of the little one who enjoyed watching the mouse and his friends go on amazing adventures. Rafael looked to the kitchen, seeing his beloved soul-mate & wife going to and fro in the area as she made some sausage & eggs for today's meal. He called out, "Dear, do you think we have enough for everyone?".

The curvy and mature beauty of the Diaz household answered as she stirred the two ingredients together, "Yes, I believe we managed to get all that we needed yesterday. Now, if you would kindly set the dishes and glasses on the table please…". Rafael nodded his head, gently taking Mariposa off of his lap and setting her down gently on the cushion seat on his left. The little one was transfixed by the episode that she didn't notice the movement, her father patting her on the head before going to assist his wife.

Upstairs, the Mewni girls were slowly stirring from their slumber in the Guests Room and Mariposa's room. Rafael was very careful in removing her from the bed without waking up the occupant sleeping on the ground, which was Kelly. In Marco's room, was Eclipsa Butterfly as the mature beauty was inhaling the scent of said young man that was on the bed & in the room. A smile was on her face and it blossomed more as it seemed she was having a dream. The dream was apparently about the young Diaz lad who was still in the hospital. She would have been content to sleep more to indulge in the dream, but a knock on the door awoke her from the pleasant realm of dreams.

She groggily asked, "Who is it? What time is it?".

The one answering on the other side of the door was Higgs as she answered, "Its 7:35 a.m., so it's time to get that body of your out of bed and downstairs! Marco's mother is making breakfast for us, and it's almost done! So move it!".

Eclipsa grumbled as she slowly rose out of Marco's bed and mumbled under her breath, "Right now, my body was getting hot from Marco's touches. I rather be back in my dream than to wake up with just a blanket as my companion…". The Queen of Darkness had yearned for the touch of her husband many years ago when they were married & still after she was released from her crystal imprisonment. But gradually, slowly but surely… her craving for Globgor's touch was being replaced by the touch of the considerate & handsome young Earth man that had taken her heart some time ago.

She slid out of the comfortable bed, picking up the pillow to inhale a bit of Marco's lingering scent on said item before putting on a robe that Angie had lent her the moment they had stayed in the Diaz home. Once her body, which despite her age was still quite eye-catching and alluring, was properly concealed by the purple robe that she left Marco's room. She was soon joined by Kelly and Eclipsa, the Amazonian looking more alert than her compatriots. Let it be known that Kelly and Higgs were used to waking up in the early morning hours due to habits picked up by family & knights respectively, but Hekapoo and Eclipsa… they would rather wake up at the crack of noon than at the crack of dawn.

Kelly came down the stairs and saw Higgs already up, watching the cartoon episode with Mariposa as the adult knight seemed to be fascinated as well with the show. Since Higgs was just getting used to modern inventions and the like on Earth, so it was little wonder she found the cartoon series fascinating as it looked & sounded vastly different from the TaleSpin series that Marco's little sister saw yesterday.

Angie turned to see the entire company now in the living room, smiling in a motherly manner as she inquired, "Good morning everyone! Did you all sleep well last night?".

Eclipsa answered in a slightly groggy voice, "I slept good, but my stomach had a bit of a troublesome time with that pizza we all ate last night while watching those interesting… ah, films I believe you called them.". The Queen of Darkness had sampled the many boxes of pizza that Rafael had ordered from Pizza Hut, finding out that mushroom-topping pizza was her favorite kind. But it seemed that while being very delicious and delectable… the mushrooms seemed to not agree with her in the middle of the night, causing her to rush to the restroom post-haste.

Kelly answered, "I slept very good, Mrs. Diaz! That supreme pizza you ordered was good! I hope there are some leftovers!". The lithe and beautiful Amazonian girl had discovered that while pepperoni and sausage pizza were okay, the supreme one that had both meat and veggie toppings on it really tickled her taste buds in a really good way! She made a promise to herself to have her family… perhaps all of her tribe to come over to the Earth realm to try the heavenly food that was pizza from Pizza Hut!

Higgs responded, "I slept well yesterday, but I kinda think I overdid it with the triple meats pizza. I still can't believe you can put bacon in that wonderful food concoction!". It appears that the knight was a big fan of meat.

Hekapoo replied, "I had a good night sleep as well, especially after eating that pizza that had the spicy bell peppers and pepperoni!". The interdimensional magical being loved fire, and considering her line of work, one would not be surprised. She didn't tell anyone, but bell peppers were also considered rare in Mewni and in many other dimensional lands she had visited. Their contents were used in potion medicines that would restore a person's vitality and energy, and were considered quite a delicacy for those who loved spicy food like the Neko tribe that inhabited the northeastern part of the land.

Mariposa exclaimed, "Pizza good! Cowa… Cowa… ummm…?". She was trying to say what Michelangelo the ninja turtle said in the two films they all watched last night, Rafael chuckling and saying the complete word to his daughter which was 'Cowabunga'. She thanked him before resuming looking at the Mickey Mouse episode.

Hekapoo chuckled, than looked to Mr. Diaz and asked, "Say, is your name the same as Raph from the movie?". The strong Diaz man chuckled once more and answered in a negative, saying that while his name did SOUND a lot like the red bandana-wearing teenage turtle that had a lot of attitude, his name was spelled differently. He told the Mewni women to always be aware that while some things may sound the same, it could be spelled different & that made all the difference in certain situations.

The four lovely ladies committed that to memory, knowing that indeed the patriarch of the family was correct in that detail.

Mrs. Diaz than announced, "Okay everyone! Come and get it! Breakfast is ready!". She held the large pan she had used to cook the scrambled eggs with sausage in it to the table, putting a good amount of the food on each plate at the table. Rafael brought out the milk and orange juice for all to pour into their glasses, the ladies going to the table to sit at their chosen tables. Rafael than went over to Mariposa, taking her off the couch and sitting her down in a booster seat that was set up between him and Angie's seat.

Once everyone was settled in, they all started to eat and drink the wonderful meal that Angie made for them. Said woman looked to the ladies and asked, "So, what are your plans for today? Jackie is going to be at work for the day & I believe that Janna is going to be doing some volunteer work at the Echo Creek Daycare Center.".

Miss Ordonia may have changed very much from the wacky and eccentric persona she developed years ago, but there was one aspect of her that had not changed. And that was her dedication to keep children safe. Thanks in part to the incident long ago that involved her & Marco almost being kidnapped as kids, and also seeing said young lad being taken to the hospital to recover from said incident, Janna actually wanted to make sure that no other child would go through what she did.

So as she grew up, and despite the very random persona that she had made for herself, the one thing that she would not do is let any harm come to a child. And the trait persisted even to this day. When Mr. & Mrs. Diaz's regular babysitters were not available to look after Mariposa, they called Janna in to look after her. You will never find one dedicated to keeping her safe from harm.

Eclipsa was immensely enjoying the simple yet lovingly-prepared meal that once again amazed her. Like her relation Queen Moon, she wanted Angie to be part of the Royal Kitchen at Mewni since her cooking blew the other chefs away. She thought about Angie's question and gave one of her own. She inquired, "Well, what are your plans for the day Mrs. Diaz? I want to know so that I can plan my day accordingly.".

The beautiful mother of Marco answered after drinking some of her milk, "Well, I'm going to teach my class at Echo Creek Community College. I'm a poetry teacher there & the summer semester has started. In fact, I believe I have a full class now which is really amazing! In fact, I have an hour to get ready and go before my first class starts.". She loved to teach children, especially those who took an interest in the fine arts of the mind, heart and soul.

Higgs swallowed some of her sausage & eggs, a quizzical look coming onto her face as she asked, "A college? What is that? And what exactly is a poetry teacher?". The Mewnian residents were also curious on what a college was as it sounded a lot like school.

Angie answered, "Well, a college is where people come to learn more. Usually those who graduate from high school can apply for a college university of their choice, but some exceptions can be made. But before that, they need to see if they have the funds necessary to actually take the classes at said college. And also, a community college is where most degrees that can be achieved there only take about two or so years to complete while a university usually takes four or more years. Again, it all depends on the career one wants to pursue & many other factors as well.".

Let it be known to all that Angie was much more than just a beautiful face & energetic personality. And this really impressed the knight and her fellow interdimensional beings.

Kelly took a gulp of orange juice from her glass and exclaimed, "Wow! That sounds amazing, even it does sound a bit complicated! We never have something like that in Mewni or in my home world Amazonia!".

Mr. Diaz looked to her and the others & inquired, "Really? There is no colleges around in Mewni or in any of the other dimensional places you have been?". This surprised the patriarch of the family as he believed a good education was needed in order to secure a stable enough future for one's self.

Hekapoo put in, "Nope. Only royals and nobles have the gold to hire private tutors for their children, and there are only a few schools that are left in Mewni that only cater to royalty like that St. Olga's reform school that's now gone.".

This caused the adults to be surprised, Angie putting forth, "So… there are no schools of any kind? No elementary school, middle school or high school? Not even daycare?". The busty beauty of fire and metal shook her head, also asking on what those were & if they were different from colleges. Mr. and Mrs. Diaz were really stunned to hear this, realizing that Mewni was in more need than one realized if the citizens of the land did not even have a formal education of any kind.

Kelly stated, "In my home world, we're taught mostly fighting, culture traditions & hunting instincts. We don't have what you just described, just taught by the elders on how to survive and live."

Again, the parents of Marco and Mariposa were surprised to hear this. While the cute Amazonian girl had a reasonable head on her shoulders and was intelligent, it just stunned them a little to learn that she also didn't have a formal education as well.

Eclipsa put in, "It seems that we are getting a bit off course here. Rafael, what are your plans for the day?". The Queen of Darkness wanted to learn more about these schools and colleges that was brought up, but she wanted to get back on track so that she could plan on how to use the day to its fullest.

Mr. Diaz snapped back to the current situation at hand and replied, "Oh! Oh yes. Ahem… I am going Downtown to the Art House to finish a statue that Mayor Reinaldo had commissioned me to make. He wants it to depict the strength that Echo Creek has for its endurance after… well, after Star's stay in the city.". He had to blush a bit in embarrassment at saying the last part, the residents of Mewni & those that had gone along with Star on her misadventures did the same.

He added, "Oh! Going to take little Mariposa with me. The building also has an art area for children her age, so she can play there while I work.". The little angel cheered as she heard that, her love of art as strong as her father's was.

Higgs looked to Angie and inquired, "Does Mariposa go to that schools you told us about earlier?". The mother of said child answered that Mariposa would be starting Pre-K in August, looking to the ginger-colored haired knight and explaining to her on what Pre-K stood for.

Rafael put in, "Well, that is our plans for the day. We're also going to see Marco later on at the hospital around noon, perhaps about 12:15 p.m. or so. Now, what do you all plan to do?".

Hekapoo answered, "I think I'll stay a bit to relax before checking on my clone that I left back home. Heh, I want to see if she has been giving headaches to the High Magic Council since I left. And also see if anyone has come into my shop to ask for my clone to make scissors for them.".

Higgs replied, "I'm going to practice a bit of my swordplay outside for a while before just relaxing around here for a bit. I want to see more of those movies that you have being showing us recently.". The young lady was very much taken with the 1990s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movies and wanted to see more. Angie said that she would get some of the DVD's out from her and Rafael's bedroom so she could watch them in the living rooms, one that she believed would truly entertain her. The warrior from Mewni kingdom did a little bow and said her thanks to the vivacious woman.

Kelly put forth, "I would like to see if there are any animals I can see. Do you know of any, Mr. & Mrs. Diaz?". Angie told her about the Echo Zoo which was a hot spot for those who loved to see animals & also for a lot of young people to hang out at. After breakfast, she would write the address down and also give her some money to pay for her fare to get into said establishment. The warrior politely thanked her for the offer.

Eclipsa answered, "I believe that I will relax here as well. After my little… ahem… episode at the mall, I think its best I just relax here until the time comes for us to go see Marco.". The curvy and alluring woman was still a bit embarrassed on her outbreak at the mall when she was introduced to the California Chocolate Factory store. And it was most likely a good idea to stay indoors at the moment. The hilarious event was indeed captured by several onlookers who uploaded the video onto their YouTube accounts and now all around the world would be laughing for some time at seeing such a mature, refine beauty as Eclipsa… going loco after sampling one of the confections from the store.

Rafael put in, "If you are going to stay here, how about I show you how to work the TV & the DVR before I go? I would think you would find some channels there interesting.". The purple-garbed woman nodded, thanking him for the offer.

Breakfast was soon done at 8:00 a.m., Kelly and Higgs volunteering to clean the dishes while the adults & Mariposa got ready for their work. Angie thanked the duo immensely for doing the duty, giving them a brief but clear walkthrough on how to wash and dry the dishes as well as putting them up in the appropriate place to dry. Said woman than went to Mariposa's room to get her dressed before going to her own room to change with her husband.

Hekapoo wished them all good luck for the day before cutting a hole with her own scissors and going back to her own accelerated-time realm.

~At the hospital~

While the others were now getting ready for the day after breakfast, Marco was once again in his room reading and healing. He didn't have breakfast yet, but would later on at about 8:30 a.m. The young man was currently reading the book I Am The Christian The Devil Warned You About by Mario Murillo, the one his dad got for him yesterday.

He was very much intrigued so far on what he read; Chapter One of the book was called My Unplanned Visit to Hell where the main hero of the story whose name was not known yet had been sent down to Hell, the place that was more horrible than even the Underworld. Where demons and devils dwelled that would make the ones where Tom dwelled at look like nothing. The character had been confused, scared and weighed down heavily when he wondered why he was in Hell when he was a Christian. Yet he found hope that perhaps he was sent there for a higher purpose, as the denizens of the place could not see or hear him.

Chapter Two was I Meet Satan, where the hero had reached an amphitheater that drew all manners of demons and devils to it while resembling a swarm of giant locusts. Where the beings paid tribute to the fallen angel that had defied the Lord since He created all. The main hero soon saw a throne that Lucifer sat on; a living object that had various symbols of wickedness etched upon it with evolving artwork that depicted all the murder and depravity that had occurred throughout mankind's history. And with a much larger space that seemed to be reserved for something more atrocious to come.

The main hero soon saw the face of the Enemy; what was described as a collapsed star, a black hole that sucked away anything decent, sane or alive within any being that witnessed his face. The main hero had been so filled with despair at seeing such a sight that poisoned his mind that he literally begged God for death, but instead was hit with a gentle beam of love from the Lord that compelled him to be strong and continue to witness what he had been sent down to witness in Hell. He was now confident that he was not a damned soul, but a spy of the Lord!

It was then that the main hero witnessed what was called the Master Plan; a single wicked campaign to harvest human souls for Hell that would outnumber the total amounts that had started throughout all of history! The hero was soon transformed from wimp to warrior, from lukewarm Christian to a blazing inferno of holy rage that wanted to speak out against the Fallen One but could not be seen or heard for the moment.

The Diaz lad continued to read on, very much captivated and reading the words with vigor. Each time he turned a page hurt as he was still healing, but he ignored the pain as best he could while he read on.

The main hero soon saw Satan looking discouraged and worried, even though his own minions were all in a frenzy of vile worship. The protagonist felt hope rise up the more he saw Lucifer becoming more angry and worried, soon calling for silence! He showed fear as he declared that one true being that was truly outfitted for war would arise from the most uncompromising of situations and let his grand plan become undone. And when the Fallen One had muttered on how it was unfair that he was not allowed to destroy the writing of the twelve secrets, the hero and Marco were wondering on what the secrets were

Marco was on Chapter Three which was I Am the Christian The Devil Warned You About when a knock on the door awakened him from his enrapture with the story. He called out, "Come in!".

Stepping inside was Dr. Sky Exten, with Nurse Reyna by his side. Both hospital employees smiled at the young Latino with Dr. Exten inquiring, "So, how are we feeling Mr. Diaz?". The young man answered that he was okay… other than the fact that he was itchy in some places thanks the bandages on his being, hungry and also in need to go to the bathroom. He didn't want to mention on how he was itchy in certain areas as that would be embarrassing for him.

Nurse Reyna smiled in sympathy and stated, "I'll help you in changing your bandages Marco. And also with the itchy & restroom problem as well. And we'll see if you can eat some solid food, though I doubt it.". The young Latino thanked the pretty nurse for her help, saying that he really appreciated it.

Dr. Exten put forth, "Marco, we're going to do some test to see how your body is healing & also how it is progressing during the healing process. And if things show up well, we can start a physical therapy workout for you to help you get back into shape.".

Seeing the confused look on the young man's face, the doctor explained while Renya was starting to unwrap his bandages slowly, "Marco, you do realize that people with injuries that you sustained during your… choice on that strange world called Mewni would have been declared dead? I still consider it a miracle from above that you managed to survive such a trial. Nevertheless, you will be bedridden for some time and your body will have weakened during the healing process.".

The young lad who was now under the protection of Queen Moon now started to understand and realize his current predicament and what the doctor was getting at. Said physician saw the realization alit now in the eyes of Marco, seeing that the lad was smarter than one gave him credit for. He finished up, "When the time comes for you to no longer wear bandages, you will a cane or some other forms to balance yourself before you can take physical therapy to get your body back in shape. Again, even though you have this… ki energy healing you, I rather now jump the gun now & I suggest that you do the same.".

Marco nodded his head, already realizing that the doctor was right. Even if his newfound ki power was aiding in his recovery, if he tried to do his regular exercise routines now… his muscle would be very weak and most likely injure himself more. He looked to Dr. Exten and stated, "You're right Doc. After everything that has happened to me… I believe that physical therapy is what's needed after I recover from being a mummy here.".

Dr. Exten and Nurse Reyna looked very pleased to see Marco realizing his current state, accepting it and also looking towards the small but necessary physical activity he would require to get his body back into normal working conditions. The doctor said he would be back soon, needing to get some extra paper to record the tests that were going to be given to Marco soon while letting his dedicated nurse continue her work on him. While others used digital iPads and such, he still liked to use old-school methods such as a clipboard and pencil. He wanted physical hardcopy evidence of his work rather than something digital which could be erased easily or misplaced.

Marco nodded, than asked if he had anything he could use as a bookmark. He knew he had to put his book down and away so he could be worked on, but he wanted to make sure to get back to the right page when he could resume reading. Nurse Reyna was the one who gave him a solution, which was tearing off one of the clean bandages that she had brought with her & putting said strip in the place where Marco was at in his book. The young lad thanked her, which she replied with a welcome & a warm smile.

Sky left the room, closing the door so that the lad could have some privacy while Nurse Reyna continued to unwrap his bandages so she could soothe itch on Marco's body & change said bandages with fresh one. The Latino man was blushing as a woman was going to see his body entirely, but Reyna was a professional nurse stuck to her duty as a healer. Although… she was going to have a little bit of fun in teasing him.

~In Mewni~

While Marco was healing & the others back at Casa Diaz were getting ready to do their own thing, Star Butterfly was training with her mother and father in physical training. The moment 7:30 a.m. struck, the blonde princess was aroused from her sleep by Lady Whosits as the knight struck her sword & shield together like an impromptu gong! The noise was enough to make her head rattle around, forcing her up quick and causing her to cover her ears on reflex. She was about to give the one who woke her up a piece of her mind… until she saw not just the knight but also her mother. Queen Moon looked down neutrally, as did the female knight.

She told Star to get ready and to come down for breakfast, Lady Whosits would be her escort… and also to make SURE she did go to the Dining Hall instead of escaping. She than left the room of her daughter… but both knight and princess were confused when they heard the queen humming loudly an unfamiliar tune. They heard her say something as she actually moved her body a bit to the rhythm that was playing inside her head which was Go Ninja, Go Ninja Go. This made question marks appear in their minds, wondering what had come over the normally unflappable ruler of Mewni.

When she got bathed and dressed, she was escorted by Lady Whosits down to the Dining Room. She did try to bribe the female knight with gold coins and promises to see if she would allow her to escape from the castle. But if there was one thing that ALL the Knights of the Butterfly royal family had in common, it was this… NEVER betray or double-cross someone like Queen Moon. Doing so would actually make you beg for death.

Once she was at the Dining Room, she ate her meal that had been kept hot thanks to a mild wandless warming spell placed on it by her mother. As they all ate, King River told her that for today, they would be doing physical exercises from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Now this caused Star to be a bit relieved, since she did like to do physical work rather than mental work.

However, Queen Moon put in that she would be sparring against THEM and to see where she stood at. This caused Star to pause in her mental celebration, which came crashing to a halt like a semi-truck would when going full-tilt into a brick wall. Her father was quite formidable in combat & her mother was considered quite a fighter back in her youth. The king stated that their special guests, King Khan along with his family & Queen Seres with her daughter Patty would be arriving at the castle roughly at noon today so they had to make sure Star was prepared when they came.

And so it was after breakfast & when the clock hit 8:00 a.m… Star dressed for physical combat and had been sparring with her parents ever since than in the Royal Courtyard inside the castle walls. The rules of the spar were simple and few. Neither Butterfly ladies were allowed to go into their Mewberty-forms, no low blows allowed & also no use of magic or weapons.

It was now close to 9:00 a.m., and Star was being pushed to her limits. She evaded a strong right hook from her father, but had gotten kicked on the side by her mother who came in swiftly with a left roundhouse kick! The princess tumbled in the dirt, rising up as she held her side. Star saw that her parents were quite the team; while River had physical strength and endurance in spades, his speed and reflex actions were a bit on the slow side. However, Moon more than made up for that as she covered his weakness by countering Star's quick attacks. And River also covered her by letting his body be her shield to take some blows from their daughter.

The daughter and husband did see that Moon was now utilizing some… unusual move during the spar. At one time when Star was charging at her to deliver a punch, Moon dropped on her back and exclaimed, "Wheel of Fortune Dude!". After saying that, she spun her back with her legs extended out! That caught Star completely off-guard, so much so that she halted her attack… and got swept off her feet by the spinning kicks, landing on her back hard!

This surprised the blondes, River making a mental note to ask where his wife learned such a move… and also what 'dude' meant.

Star now had bruises in various places, her hair a mess, very sweaty and also panting from the exhaustion & pain she was currently in. She had countered on unleashing her pent up frustration from what she 'endured' yesterday to give her an extra edge against her parents, but it had been to no avail. Her mother and father were just simply that good.

When the bell rang to signal the hour of 9 o'clock, the sparring session was over. The rulers of Mewni walked to their daughter, who was doing what she could just to remain standing. Queen Moon said, "You did well in your fight against us, but it seems that you have relied solely on the wand & magic for too long.". It was true; while Star kept her body in shape thanks to getting into mischief with her friends, she started to rely more & more on her wand and magical spells.

King River put in, "Your endurance is average, strength just above average and your speed, both in reflex and running, are slightly above average. You were more formidable all those years ago when that accursed Toffee had taken over the kingdom. You have become lax, sad to say dear.".

Queen Moon finished it, "I also saw you allowed your anger to cloud your judgement and forced you to make sloppy mistakes. You need to channel and control your aggression on the battlefield, otherwise you may say or do something you'll regret.". Indeed, Star had allowed her frustrations from yesterday plus the unresolved issue surrounding Marco to get the better of her. While she used the anger to get in bursts of strength and speed, her mind was clouded so that it was either wasted or used improperly.

Star gave her folks a sour look, the wanting to tell them off bubbling to the surface. However, seeing the looks on their faces & how they had really laid into her during the sparring session alerted her common sense that screamed at her to NOT do anything to make them angry. So she listened to it rather than her emotions… for now at least.

The royal ones saw the look, sighing as they knew she would be sore at being pointed out on how far she had dropped when it came to physical combat. Star had prided herself on being able to handle anything, either magically or physically. And now her pride had taken quite a staggering blow, and she was not happy about it.

Queen Moon put in, "Star… you did well in hanging in there against us, but you need to see that this has shown you what you need to improve on. Going on those misadventures with Tom and Lilacia may have kept you in physical shape, but you have stagnated in your training & also allowed yourself to rely on spells rather than your own head. We need to work on that so you can improve yourself in the future.".

King River stated, "Sir Marco always exercised and kept himself in shape with those… those… ah! Those kata moves of his & also looked to see what he could improve on! Both with his moves and with his head.". The royal one had often seen Marco sparring either in the Knight Hall or outside in the Royal Courtyard, witnessing the lad doing his daily martial art exercise routines & also seeing how he spotted his own mistakes/weaknesses and to try to work on them so it wouldn't be a hindrance in the future. The king was glad to see someone with a strong work ethic & commitment to said ethics and self-improvement.

However, that appeared to be the wrong thing to say. Star now looked depressed and sad, remembering her friend… or what she could remember which was long ago. She had truly been so immersed in her own fun with her demon beau and floating unicorn BBF that she had allowed Marco to fade deep in the background. And the only times she even acknowledged his existence was when he cleaned up her messes, either on her outings with her friends or when she botched diplomatic relations with various minor Monster clans.

The last time she ever saw him spar was many months ago, and it was at times when the other fellow Mewnian knights had ridiculed him still for choosing unarmed Earth fighting combat rather than going in with armor and weapons like they did. And Star remembered the determined, yet empty eyes of her friend… on that made her fearful as he seemed to be more machine than flesh and blood. Alas, Tom and Ponyhead had dragged her along for a fun time somewhere in another dimension. And that was the very last time she saw him.

Star looked to her mother and asked softly, "Where… Where is Marco? Is he… Is he alright?".

Normally, Moon would give in after hearing her daughter's soft tone like that. But she remembered most of the things that Star did in her time on Earth & when she returned to Mewni, so she resolved herself to be firm with her only child. She answered, "Sir Marco is still on his special assignment with Lady Higgs. I will not tell you on where they are, and his well-being does not concern you any longer. He released himself from you & is now under MY care. He is MY knight, do you understand this young lady?".

The blonde princess flinched from how cold her mother sounded to her, and she pleaded, "But Mom, I… I need to know where he is and if he's okay! He's still my best friend!". This was also the wrong thing to say as Queen Moon's eyes gained a frosty glow which had Star gulp and take a step back from being under such a glare.

She stated in a soft tone but with strength to cut crystal, "Star Butterfly, that is a poor joke right there. Your best friend? From what I can glean from what I have seen and witnessed with my own eyes, your best friend is a floating head who likes to have fun & shop around with little to no care about her spending habits. Marco WAS your friend until you started to tune him out the moment he arrived in Mewni in the same manner you did when we sent you to Earth to live with the Diaz family those years ago. You phased him out gradually from your life while he risked and sacrificed so much just to stay by your side.".

She continued, "He sacrificed his male pride to become that ridiculous Princess Turdina persona so he could help you & the other princesses from St. Olga's school. He endured ridicule by my own knights, which I will get about to disciplining them soon enough. He fixed the political and physical mistakes you made when trying to secure friendly alliances with the many minor Monster clans around the realm. And… he has also endured emotional, mental and physical pain the likes that even make me wonder how he is even still a very good man after all he has went through.".

The mature blue-haired beauty remembered the bloody scene she had witnessed in the forest clearing spot where Marco had the Roman goddess Luna release him from the Blood Moon Curse bindings… and the consequences of taking the entire backlash that had built up for years. She remembered what the Mewni women told her on what they witnessed, and also seeing Marco's body all bandaged up at the healing facility just spoke volumes on his character.

She came back to reality, seeing her daughter looking more down than ever. She really did not like to see her only child so sad, but this had to be done. It was long overdue and a point had to be made. She finished, "He gave up his own future back on Earth. He gave up his family, his friends… he did go back on occasions to see them. You only went back to Earth once or twice before deciding that it was not worth going back to. Or was it your friends that convinced you that Earth was no longer fun and to stay out from it? Tell me, which was it?".

The blonde young woman really started to get crushed by the weight & gravity of the situation. Indeed, she had not been that good to Marco ever since he did come to Mewni shortly after confessing to him. And it seemed that confession was soon lost in the dust after she had started to get back together with Tom. She did remember feeling not right about the whole thing, but she used her magic to banish away such things which was easy… yet at the same time felt it would come back to bite her. Which it was doing now.

He had gone through many trials, yet she could not remember a time when she encouraged him rather than just leave him alone during said trials. The more her mind went down Memory Lane, the more she saw that her mother was very much right. She had phased out Marco gradually until he was nothing more than a mere memory. And even that was now fleeting. And also she was correct in what her mother just said concerning Earth. Tom and Lilacia had managed to convince her that it was a boring & mundane place since it didn't have magic or the fantastic creatures that were abound in Mewni and in other realms.

King River decided to cut in, "Dear, I believe its best if you just leave Marco be. Sad to say, that is what you have been doing for the past three years or so".

Before Star could reply to that, one of the servants rushed to them. He went to the trio and stated, "I'm sorry to interrupt your talks, your Majesties. But a family calling themselves the Acacius's state that they are here to see you. They say that they wrote a letter to you some time ago, saying that they would be arriving on this day.".

This caught the royal family a bit off-guard, King River thinking hard as he muttered, "Acacius… Acacius… I have never heard of that family name before. And I do not remember a letter… wait! I do remember receiving a letter from the Spiderbite family, saying that they would be training their daughter for a year & would be arriving here. Has it already been a year?".

Queen Moon added, "I remember such a letter myself. I believe it is somewhere within the Royal Archives. And the name Acacius… for some reason, it does ring a bell with me.". While the mature beauty was quite versed in the history of not just the Butterfly family but the many others spread throughout the land, even her memory could not find exactly why the name sounded familiar.

The servant man said, "Shall I send them away or have them meet you?".

A voice called out from a doorway nearby, "You do not have to that. We are here.". The royals and servants, plus the knights that were scattered in various parts of the Courtyard, looked to where the voice came from. It was very familiar to River and Moon, and the one who made the voice stepped forth into the light… causing the Butterfly family to gasp in surprise as they saw on whom emerged.

It was King Justus and Queen Isadora… without their spider bite marks!

The duo were dressed in their best as they enjoyed the stunned looks on the faces of their allies/friends, walking towards them as the Butterflies were stunned still to see their old friends whom they had not seen in a year. Once they were close enough, River inquired, "Justus?! Is that really you?! Your cursed bite, is it…!?".

The king chuckled softly and answered, "Yes, old friend. It is gone. And I can assure you that this is no disguise or glamour of any sort, physical or magical. This is really us.".

Queen Moon was really astounded to see her old friend, than something clicked within her mind. She exclaimed, "Of course! I remember now! The Spiderbite family was originally named Acacius, but had to change it due to the unintentional curse put on them by the spider monster Venom Fang and a mixture of the magic that seeped into the wound. And that was centuries ago!".

Isadora smiled softly and remarked, "Well, it's good to see your knowledge of history concerning our family is coming back to you, Moon. It's very good to see you again.".

Star was gobstruck and inquired, "B-But how is it your spider bites are gone?! I was told that your bites were cursed and no amount of Mewni medicine or magic could get rid of them!". The young blonde girl flinched when she saw the warm gazes that the couple gave to her parents quickly turned to a firm neutral look. This stunned both River and Moon, wondering on what brought about the rapid change in demeanor and look.

Queen Acacius answered in hard tone, "We will answer that question when our daughter arrives. Which should be… now.". They all looked towards the doorway, and soft echoing footsteps could be heard. And slowly emerging from the dark doorway and into the light… was Princess Penelope Acacius, formerly Spiderbite!

The knights, River, Moon and Star gasped at seeing how the daughter of Justus and Isadora looked. She had really filled out nicely in many areas, blossoming into a right beauty that had many of the male knights and squires who saw her drooling. Of course, this got the lads getting smacked hard on the head from the ladies nearby.

Her luscious brown hair was straight and flowing, giving off a sheen of brightness as the sun hit her body just right. She walked with grace, dignity and strength that Star couldn't help but envy. Her green dress was no longer a dull-looking color but a rich deep emerald now that really highlighted her complexion and beauty in a way that made her look more royal than even Star did on her best day!

She walked over to the Butterflies, her brown eyes giving off a warmth that really made the feel at ease. However… when her eyes fell on Star, they almost instantly hardened into orbs of fury! It was such a quick transaction from warm to furious that surprised them.

In a calm voice that was hard as a forged steel sword, Penelope asked, "Star… where is Sir Marco Diaz?".

It seemed that the princess was in big trouble yet again!

(Author's Notes: And… cut! That is it for this chapter! I hope you all like it. I apologize if it is small, but I wanted to make an update to the story on Christmas.

Before I say or do anything else, I want to give praise and glory to God! Lord, thank you for an awesome Christmas I had with family here at my own home! Thank you Jesus for being born and letting all know that you are truly the King of Kings! Thank you God for all who have supported me, and I ask that you bless them all on this day! Give them a very Merry Christmas and a joyful New Year when it comes!

It seems that more surprises are shown as the Mewni girls are introduced to how Earth has school systems and daycares that not even their own realm has. Well, at least those who are not royals. Marco is diving into the book that his father gave him, which he will read more on. Believe me, the book will play a big part in this story & also for him to grow into the man he was meant to become!

And finally, Star starts to realize how badly she has messed up herself & her friendship with Marco for the past three years or so. And with the introduction of the Acacius family, formerly the Spiderbites, now in… oh, her hole is going to be dug MUCH deeper! It will be shown in the next chapter. I hope you all liked how I made Janna when it comes to children.

Like I stated before, this story will be long in both chapters and words! I just hope it is enough for all of you to enjoy it. I like to combine quality with quantity, so will do my very best with this side-project of mine. Also, hope you liked the little Easter Egg I snuck in here. Hint: it's what Moon did that knocked Star off her feet.

In the next chapter, Eclipsa and Higgs will be introduced into the world that many women know about when they stay home… soap operas! Heh, and I hope it surprises you all. And also more revelations that will have Star be dug into a deeper hole than she is currently in now, and it will affect Tom and Lilacia Ponyhead too!

Now for the questions! Ahem…

How would you explain a school system of your choice to the Mewni women staying at the Diaz residence? And what kind of statue do you think Rafael is making based on the request by the mayor?

What do you think will happen when Kelly arrives at the zoo? And what will Hekapoo say to her clone & the HMC on what she has found so far on Earth?

What kind of physical therapy would you have Marco do once he is well enough to take the bandages off for good?

How would you rate Star's current level when it comes to fighting? And also what would your words be to her during Moon's mini-rant to her daughter?

And finally… what do you think will happen when the Neko family members, Queen Seres, Princess Patty & the Acacius family hear on what happened to Marco?

And here is an optional bonus question: What would you suggest that the royals in Mewni do to have a capable functioning school system?

R&R, no flames, enjoy and leave LONG reviews!)