Marco at a Crossroads

By: DJ Rodriguez

(Author's Notes: Hey everyone. How are you all doing? Sorry if it has been awhile, but started to work on another project which is a Danny Phantom/Dragonball crossover called Danny Fenton: A Chaotic Adventure. I had been impressed on much of a fanbase had been given to a story called The Many Dates of Danny Fenton by Author Flower princess11. The story has a TV Tropes page, fanart and many fans who have made their own stories in which Danny choose one of the many girls that he dated in the Author's story.

So I thought I try my hand at it, soon creating a story where Danny and the thirty ladies from Flower's story are teleported to the world of Dragonball! And so to clear up any confusion, they are sent to the time when Goku first started out his adventures long, long ago. You'll have to read it to find out more.

Also… sigh… something serious happened over this year that I still grieve over deeply now.

Sigh… my dad, Daniel Garza Rodriguez, passed away on December 27th, 2020. He got the Coronavirus, along with my family except for me because it didn't affect me for some reason. I took care of family as best I could, and while they all got better… he got steadily worse. He had to go to a hospital for treatment, but sadly they did not have the equipment needed to properly treat him nor the staff that had real knowledge on what to do.

He fought for three weeks; we all prayed and had vigil and a special Last Supper moment outside of his room, and the staff did all they could. But… he was taken up to Heaven on that day. At just sixty years of age…

Sigh… it's been a nightmare for the family for some time now, as we really loved him very much. My Dad… he was my hero/anchor/strength/heart/soul/rock for the family and all of those who knew him. It was a devastating blow to us all.

We have gotten better, slowly but surely, thanks to much comfort and support from family and friends. There are many moments though, when we have emotional breakdowns since we just all loved him so much… a lot of people did.

I am now the man of the house, now charged with taking care of Mom and my other family members. I know I will never fully by like my Dad, as he was a great and vibrant man of God… but I will do my best, and also to walk the same path he did with Jesus Christ.

And know this; I rather keep the pain that comes from missing and loving my Dad very much than to ever lose it to numbness/stillness. To me, that is much worse than anyone could possibly imagine. So I will bear that burden, and ask the Lord to make me stronger and better to endure it while I carry it.

So I am dedicating this chapter to him, as I did in my previous works House of Mouse Special- Godzilla 1985 & the crossover special I informed you all about above. So Dad… this one is for you!

To Daniel Garza Rodriguez; Oct. 10th 1960 – Dec. 27th, 2020. I am named after him, if you have seen my profile. Daniel Jr., hence the nickname that everyone calls me by which is DJ Rodriguez. My father was more active and more energetic than most men his age! He was loved by many, and loved them in return unconditionally. He was, is to me, the greatest of men and I can only hope to be at least half the man he was.

And also this… instead of being fearful of the virus, I have a new determination and hope to see that it is completely eradicated from the face of the Earth permanently! And with it, the Do The Five Things rules & regulations and the New Normal! The virus took away my father, and many other people all over the world! And also due to regulations and such, we were not even allowed in there! Only to see him from a ZOOM video chat, thanks to a very compassionate and wonderful nurse who took care of him.

So I really hope and pray to the Lord for this; that my Dad is having a great time in Heaven, and also that this plague & what has cropped up due to it is removed for good from the equation of life soon!

Now, on a much lighter note, I wish to promote stories of a friend of mine here on this site. Author pinkstoryteller has made some amazing Godzilla stories, and they are very much worth reading. So please, go to her Profile here and check out the stories. I believe you will be surprised that she has quite the inventive imagination & characterization of certain characters that is really like a breath of fresh air!

I will continue to do my best, both with the stories I am making & with this drastic change to my life. But… I speak with confidence, faith and trust in Jesus Christ to see me and my entire family through. I want my Dad to be proud of me as he is looking down from Heaven, so will do my best!

Also, Author Drjeesh has made more pictures of the comic series that he is making that is about this story. If you wish to know more about it, PM him and he will give you more details on it.

And also, to let you all know just in case, this story LOOKS to be a Marco/Harem story… but it is not. It is more along the lines of a classic anime series I used to watch as a kid called Tenchi Muyo, where Marco will choose ONE of the ladies at the end of the series. So while many women will be by his side, trying to gain his affection and attention… only ONE will be chosen at the end.

I state this again- I cannot please everyone, nor do I ever wish to do so. I believe in the words of my pastor Rick Godwin from Summit Christian Center at San Antonio and it is this: If you try to please everyone, you lose yourself entirely. So while others may not be pleased at this, it is what it is. My aim is not to please all, but to write a worthwhile story. No more, no less.

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 & live-action series that I have on VHS & 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. If any of you wish to create your own OC's for me to use in the story, let me know & I will see what I can do.

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.

I Am The Christian The Devil Warned You About is by Mario Murillo, © 1996 by said author and edited by Carol Ann Murillo. Published by the Fresh Fire Communications company in Danville, California in 1996.

Now, on with the story!)

It was now 7:00 p.m. in the Cloud Kingdom, the many denizens of the floating world high in the sky were getting ready for the nightlife. Unicorns were all getting ready to enjoy the night in various ways, but there was a certain group of royal ponies that were doing something else. All of them were in Pranciss's room, looking through many scrapbooks that were made by said youngest sibling of the family.

Said books all contained images of Marco that was done by those who had seen him in action & had taken his picture when he was Star's squire. One of them showed the young man in his Focus Counter technique stance, facing off against Bjorn the Bully. Hornanne Pony Head sighed and stated, "Marco looks so cool going off against that Monster bear! I wonder what he would look like if he was a unicorn like us…".

Teta put in, "Probably not as cute without that body of his. His face is handsome, but the body… mmmmm!".

Angel looked at the clock that was in the room and asked, "It has been some time since Mom and Dad left for the Butterfly Castle. I wonder…".

Her train of thought was interrupted by a powerful slamming of the doors down below, showcasing to all that King & Queen Pony Head had come back. Shinda exclaimed, "Come on everyone! Let's go and see what happened! Maybe we can get some more info on what happened at the Butterfly Castle!".

Azniss countered urgently, "Okay, but we need to settle down here and not look or act too eager. From the way that door slammed, something serious happened that has either Dad or Mom ticked off.". The sisters agreed with her assessment quickly, as they learned for some time the behavior of their parents & also what occurred when they did something in any part of the castle home.

The twelve unicorns floated out of the room, going towards the Main Hall and leaning down over the rails to see their parents and oldest sister following them. The father's facial expression was neutral, but everyone could see that he was very upset about something. The mother's expression showed that she was disappointed to very serious degree. And Lilacia… she looked defeated yet had a curious expression in her eyes, like she was thinking on something deeply.

Pranciss let out a soft sneeze as the dust from the railing had upset her nose, thus causing the trio stopped in the middle of the room and look up to them. King Pony Head sighed and looked to his wife and asked, "Dear, can you please go upstairs and inform the girls on what has happened? And also tell them that we will need their help in the new… arrangements for their oldest sibling here.".

He cast his look on Lilacia, who only looked down & her face took on a deep reddish blush in embarrassment for what she assumed was going to happen next. His wife nodded, floating up the stairs and towards her daughters, while her husband and oldest one continued onward.

As she was ascending, the queen heard the chatter that was coming from her daughters. They were babbling on what happened at the castle, why their father looked so serious and so on. After some moments, Queen Rachel was about to tell them to please be silent when Angel actually did it for her. She exclaimed, "QUIET!". This had the effect that was needed, as the siblings became silent almost instantly. Even the guards that were stationed nearby were surprised by this, as it took much effort from others who were not family to try and get any of the siblings under control, let alone all of them together.

Once she saw that her children were now situated, Rachel thanked her daughter for the assistance. Angel replied, "No problem, Mom. Now… Dad wanted you to tell us something, right?".

Rachel replied, "Yes dear. Children follow me to your sister Lilacia's room. We can talk and float as we go.". The various unicorns nodded as they followed their mother, hearing the serious tone in her voice. It also carried a weariness weight to it, which made them more curious on what had occurred.

They also realized they had to be careful with their words, as to not arouse suspicion that they had been over to the Butterfly grounds earlier.

Queen Rachel looked to her precious treasures and started out, "Children, it seems that something has occurred that has your sister on more… thin ice, as it were.".

Khrysthalle genuinely inquired, "Is it really that serious, Mom?".

She nodded and answered, "It is. You see girls… Lilacia was in trouble earlier due to some misgivings that had occurred with her, Star and Prince Thomas that concerned Sir Marco the Mighty. And it was due to the actions by Star and the others that Sir Marco is no longer her squire, but now is under the direct command of Queen Moon herself.".

The sisters acted surprised to hear the information, already knowing this but yet it also sounded different as it was coming from their mother. It was like finding more small, subtle but significant pieces to one of the puzzles that they were trying to solve.

Queen Rachel continued onward, "Your sister was punished accordingly for that. However… some serious news have come to light that shows just how much we have failed as parents to your eldest sister.".

Now THIS kind of news and admission caught the siblings' off-guard very much. Pamanda spoke, "What do you mean, Mom? You and Dad are great parents to us! Its Lilacia that messed up, well… whatever she did!". The others agreed with her, saying their own positive words to their mother.

Said ruler of the kingdom smiled softly at the way her children defended her like so. She replied, "Thank you everyone. I appreciate your words and while you said is true, Pamanda… it still does not erase the feeling I have for my eldest child. I feel that me and your father should have done things sooner, and differently, so that Lilacia would have not become what she is now. Sad to say though… we cannot change the past.".

They soon arrived at Lilacia's bedroom door, Rachel opening it with her magic. Once she saw the many things that her daughter had bought with the money she had 'borrowed' from the Treasury, a majority of them not even necessary at all in the least in her view, the Queen shook her head on how careless & financially-irresponsible her daughter had become.

She looked to her daughters and stated, "Okay everyone, I need your help in packing all of this stuff up into boxes for storage. Jan-Jan, can you and Pranciss go to the Storage Room and get some empty boxes from there? And the rest of you, I need your help in getting everything together and sorting them out in piles so that it can be stored accordingly. The only thing that is to remain are the things on the bed & the curtain drapes.".

Jan-Jan and her youngest sister nodded their heads before zooming off to the where the room was at, which was a bit of a distance from their present location. When they left, the sisters and their mother went right to work on taking whatever they could down from the walls, shelves, etc.

Whistine looked back to her mother as she got some items down from one of the shelves that Lilacia had purchased from Quest Buy and inquired, "So Mom, you were telling us on what you found out while at the Butterfly Castle…?".

Rachel looked to her and answered, "Oh yes! I am sorry, got a bit distracted in what we are doing now. Okay…".

She resumed, "Apparently, Lilacia had formed an alliance with Prince Thomas concerning a legend that once linked Star and Marco together. Apparently, the demon prince had discovered something that involved the consequences of the legend… and used it to harm Sir Marco on many levels. And when Lilacia had heard of it, she wanted to join in on it since she still does not feel that Sir Marco is a suitable match of any kind for Star Butterfly.".

Azniss snorted as she took down some toy figurines that were part of her sister's collection and stated, "Ha, that's an understatement. Lilacia would go on and on with her rants concerning the Earth boy, on how he was nothing but a turd and that Star could do better.".

Rachel looked to her and put in seriously, "I know of this, but it seems that her hatred for Sir Marco ran deeper than even I realized.". The statement alone was enough to give pause to everyone, the daughters now looking to their mother in a stunned state.

The beautiful floating unicorn head continued on, "Both had conspired to do much harm to Sir Marco on a mental, social, emotional level for the past three or so years. They had utilized the curse of the legend in order to make sure that the Earth boy would be in a great deal of pain to the heart and mind, while also trying to bring back Star to her old self. They had done what they can to make sure that Butterfly girl got most of the credit in what Sir Marco did when he accompanied them, and making sure that Marco was in the dark on his true popularity while also belittling his worth.".

Angel and the others listened with rapt attention now, stopping their gathering of items for the moment to listen in more. Rachel pushed on through with a heavy tone of sadness in her voice, "We soon learned that Star was told to make Marco his squire in the first place so that she would not lose his friendship and attention to others, to make him dependent on her… and also that he would be a back-up of sort, should Star and Thomas break up.".

Again, the siblings were shocked by the news & also angered that Star would do something like that! Angel thought, 'Why that little…! If I ever get my magic on her, I'll teach her a lesson for just toying and stringing along such a sweet boy like that!'. While they all had some kind of failed relationships with some of the male ponies in the kingdom, they knew better than to just keep someone in the wings or as back-up like that.

Now, Rachel was in the middle of the room as her daughters were in a semi-circle in front of her as they listened intently. The matriarch of the family continued, "We also learned that Star and Thomas… became engaged a little more than two weeks ago, and that Lilacia & several other princesses were in on it. They broke royal protocol by keeping it secret instead of informing their parents on this.".

Again, this surprised the sisters as Whistine exclaimed, "But… But Mom! That is something serious! I mean, I know I'm not totally caught up with certain royal traditions and all, but even I know that some like engagements are taken quite seriously!". Indeed, the blonde unicorn knew of her weaknesses and such when it came to known law. But even she knew the protocol when it came to royal marriages… and what followed if said rules were broken.

Rachel nodded her head sadly and replied, "Indeed you are right, Whistine. And also we learned this… had Marco, if he had stayed here and under the effects of the curse & with Star… most likely it would have broken him completely. Or perhaps even killed him. And your sister was very much aware of this possibility, yet continued on with it.".

A silence fell over the ladies, as they was very much to take in. They knew that their oldest sister was a bit demanding and demented, but they assumed she would never take things this far. Apparently, this shattered that assumption completely.

After taking some moments to absorb all of the information in, Shonda softly asked, "So… what has happened to Star, Lilacia and Tom?".

Rachel looked at her and answered, "I will not reveal the punishments of Star and Thomas, as it is their parents' right to reveal it. But I will say this for your sister. As of this moment… her training has been doubled in intensity, and also she is no longer a princess. Her title has been revoked, and she has been demoted to work with Karlos Neystrong as his assistant in the Royal Calculations Area.".

Hearing that Lilacia was no longer a princess, but now assistant to the royal accountant, really surprised the girls very much. Rachel quickly added in, "And it is this that I ask you to not tease or give your sister much grief. This is a devastating blow to her, and most likely it will take her some time to get used to these changes. All I ask of you all is to keep things civil between yourselves and her.".

The siblings knew what their mother was trying to emphasize. That Lilacia was still a bit unstable emotionally and mentally, and any kind of teasing on their part could set something off that would make her act in a way that would not only put herself more at risk… but also put the family name itself at risk as well.

Angel put in, "We promise not to do anything that might set our sister off, Mom.".

Rachel smiled softly and replied, "Thank you girls. This really means a lot to us. Now, I believe we still have a job to do. Come on, let's get to it before Jan-Jan and Pranciss get back.". The unicorn girls nodded and resumed getting back to work… but their thoughts were swirling about in their minds like hyperactive bees at a beehive!

Angel thought as she was taking down some posters, 'Whoa… this is more serious than I thought! Lilacia capable of doing something like this… just, wow! I never knew that her vindictive streak would go this far!'

She also added in this, 'As much as this is interesting, it's only part of the puzzle that we are trying to solve. Sure, it provided us with answers… but also there are still gaps that we need to fill in before we can find out EVERYTHING.'. She made a mental note to tell her two siblings who were not there everything on what their mother had just told them concerning Lilacia.

The unicorn knew that things were getting intense and serious now, and even though they were going to go through with their Time spell plan… it would to be done with extra care & caution now.

~Down below~

While the mother and sisters were getting ready to put Lilacia's items into storage, said unicorn was floating behind her father towards the area that was the Servants Quarters. While spacious and well-kept & maintained in their own right, they were still slightly smaller and not as opulent like the eldest daughter was used to. King Gilad Pony Head looked back to his daughter as they floated to their destination and stated, "Young lady… you be better be glad that this is your punishment. I can remember when back in the past, actions like this were considered treasonous on high levels. And being forced to work like a servant would be the LEAST of your problems.".

It was true, as many years ago, Lilacia's actions would have prompted the families to exile their members from their house & family… or if it was truly serious… execution.

Lilacia said nothing, just looking away as her mind was replying a certain scene that she had with Thomas Lucitor a couple of hours ago…

~Flashback~

The two were in the large courtyard in front of the castle, a fair distance from the knights Sir Lavabo & Sir Scarsguard. Princess Patty was nearby of course, but all she did was stand some feet from their location as they talked.

Lilacia hissed softly, "Okay dude, how are you going to put the ring on Star? And better yet, how are you going to make sure that no one sees it? They already got a good glimpse of it when B-Fly showed it to them!".

Tom replied back, "I got a couple of ideas on that, but don't worry! Once we get this ring on Starship… everything will soon going back our way. Might take some time and effort, but it will be worth it to get our titles back & also get a chance to go after that dweeb Marco!".

Hearing on getting payback against the Earth boy who, in their view, had ruined everything, brought a wicked smile to the face of the unicorn. Little did she know that Patty had seen the smile, and was now worried for her future and her friends…

The duo soon parted, needing to make sure that their actions did not warrant the attention of the knights. Sir Lavabo and Sir Scarsguard were suspicious at first on the actions of the duo, but did not go over to question them as they were tasked with only watching them to make sure they did not cause any trouble.

They reasoned in their heads that even if they did go to question them, they would deny any and all things & thus would lead them nowhere but to headaches.

Pony Head and Lucitor kept a distance, as did Patty as she felt a little uneasy at being around them now. While she considered the two friends… she had to maintain distance for now to make sure she didn't get into any more trouble than she was in now.

Patty thought, 'How can I inform the other princesses of this WITHOUT getting caught or being led to me? I mean, this is some juicy news and all that I feel must be shared! But…'. While her old habits of gossiping and spreading news/rumors were rising up, her considering for her friend Star & her family came up to the forefront.

She knew that if the princesses, the ones in on the engagement plan & also those that were unaware of said plan, got the news on what occurred at the castle… it would cause unnecessary strife and headaches for the Butterfly family, who were already weary of the situation. And Star… given the condition she was in right now, could suffer something massively bad on the inside that would more or less break her.

At least that was her assumption.

She thought, 'I'll keep this information to myself as best I can. Hard to fight the old urges… but has to be done, for Star since I want our friendship to stay intact. Also… if I did go and blab to everyone on what happened & no adults around to curb the chaos, than it would get very bad.'.

Patty was smart, knowing that most likely the adults would ask Star to give the names of the princesses involved in the engagement idea. And once she did, it would be a matter of time until the adults would find a way to summon them & their families, and break the news to them in a way that would be contained and controlled.

So it was there that the duo spent some hours in the courtyard, as the adults had spent much time in the Relaxation Room than originally planned due to really letting any and all stress get out from their systems. When they returned, it was the Lucitor family that had whisked away first from the grounds with Thomas in tow. Next was Patty, her mother stating that they would be staying the night as guests and would leave in the morning. And that the Khan & Acacius family would also be staying for the night. Queen Seres took her to one of the Guest Rooms, led by King River himself.

The last one to come were the Pony Heads, along with Queen Moon. The adults were just gazing neutrally at her, which made Lilacia squirm uncomfortably at the looks given to her. The blue-haired mature blue used her dimensional tool to cut open a rift that led back to their kingdom. Gilad and Rachel shook their heads at her before going through the portal, Moon's neutral look turning icy as to tell Lilacia to get through the portal… fast.

The young unicorn sped right on through, very much intimidated by the glare of the Queen.

~End flashback~

Lilacia was brought out of her memories by her father, who called out her name and said that they had arrived to her room. She looked up to see a bronze plate on the door that showed the words engraved in it ASSISTANT CALCULATOR, and glancing to the left was a door that had the same bronze plate but was longer & slightly larger than the first one she saw.

It had the words KARLOS NEYSTRONG- ROYAL CALCULATOR/ACCOUNTANT.

King Gilad opened the door, the duo going in and Lilacia seeing that while a bit spacious, it was much smaller compared to her old room and also very sparse. It only had a desk, some books lined on it, a chair with some fluffy throw pillows near it and another door that was open that showed a simple bathroom complete with bath/shower combo.

She blanched and exclaimed, "Daddy, you want me to stay in this… this… cramped room?!".

He leveled a fierce glare at her, which made her cower and shrink a little. He replied coolly, "Yes. And also, I will be introducing you to your boss tomorrow when he gets back from vacation. And daughter… you best be polite and obedient to him. Do as he says and you do it to the best of your ability. If I hear any complaints or negative reports from him concerning you…".

The king lowered his head to look dead in Lilacia's eyes and stated, "Like Sir Marco once told me last time we met, he told me this. That on Earth, there is a game called baseball which a pitcher throws spheres at a batter. If the batter swings and misses, it's a strike. Three strikes, and he is considered out and goes back to a place called the dugout. And that it can be referenced in many things… including work.".

He finished up, "The times on how you showed poor judgement and action towards Sir Marco… I consider that two strikes. So just one complaint or negative report from Karlos concerning you… that will be your third and final strike. You will be out… out of the castle and out of a home. Do I make myself clear?".

Lilacia gulped, now realizing that she HAD to be careful and good here. Otherwise… it was truly over for her. She nodded and answered meekly, "Yes Daddy…".

King Gilad pulled his head back from his flesh and blood and stated, "Good. Now, you better get acquainted with your new dwellings while we wait for your mother and your sisters to arrive here with SOME of your stuff. The rest will be put into storage.".

Again, this horrified Lilacia that only some of her stuff would be coming down & the rest would be put into storage. And she did not know which ones would be brought down or put away. She thought, 'Awww, man! This sucks! Not enough I'm forced to now live down here, but now I won't even have some of my stuff?! Well… at least they are putting them in storage rather than selling them. Many of what I have are considered collector's items, rare and hard to get now!'.

A very vengeful thought came into her mind at full power, 'Marco… oh, Earth Turd you are SO dead!'.

~At the Underworld~

Just like how Lilacia was having a bad time at her home, so did Thomas as he was in his room alone. The demon prince had been given a severe dressing down by his folks, telling him that he had risked all-out war against their own allies & that done something that had breech protocol that not even their ancestors not dare break. King Dave and Queen Wrathmelior had informed him that it would be the last time he would be in his own room for awhile, so to savior it and to be prepared for tomorrow.

So now Tom was in his room, outside two loyal guards to his parents stationed at the very doorway so he would not escape. He was sitting on his bed, staring now at the engagement ring that he managed to save before Star could smash it. He said to himself softly so the guards would not hear anything, "I have an idea on how to disguise the ring so that Star will take it. The problem is to make sure that she DOES take it willingly. Given to how she acted a little awhile ago, she maybe suspicious on jewelry just appearing out of thin air or something that she does not remember buying.".

Just as he spoke those words, an idea formulated into his head! He thought, 'That's it! All I have to do is put in a Chameleon spell on it, and have two minor minions hold it and follow Star around until the right time comes along!'.

The Chameleon spell was a magic trick that made an inanimate object look exactly like something else, but there was a catch to it. The user casting the spell would need to see exactly what he or she wanted for their intended target to look like. Also, said spell ONLY worked on inanimate objects, not living biological ones. Tom had learned the spell from his mother years ago as a child, and now it seemed it would be put to good use.

He gripped the ring tightly in his left hand, putting his other hand on it and chanted in his native demon tongue. Both his hands took on a soft, fiery red-orange glow that pulsed the size of a softball. It lasted for about two minutes until the chanting died, along with the glow. He remove his right hand and opened his left fist… to reveal that the engagement ring exactly like it looked, but with a shiny coating on it.

Thomas smirked and stated, "Good, it worked! The time-delay spell worked! It's now charmed to only activate when Star sees something that she wants to buy, and it will transform into the item. And that is where my minions come in.".

He got off his bed and went to his closet, opening it up and tapped three times on a spot near the door. A secret panel opened up, and emerging from the hidden spot were two small winged demons. If someone from Earth saw them, they would equate the beasts to Panic from the Disney film Hercules. But instead of looking like they had eternal anxiety on their faces, they looked quite mean and cunning.

He gave one of them the ring, which actually got absorbed into its palm. He instructed them, "Go to Butterfly Castle and keep an eye on Star Butterfly. Follow her wherever she goes. When you see an opportunity, switch whatever jewelry she has her eye on for the ring. Remember, you have to put the ring very close to the object so that it can transform into it. And most important of all… stay hidden. Make sure that no one sees you two, and once that your task is complete, get back here immediately. Understand?".

The two winged demons nodded, sinister looks and grins on their faces before vanishing in a small flash of fire.

Tom smirked as he said to himself, "Good thing I got those minions seven months ago. I had a feeling I would be needing some personal ones of my own. While they cost a good amount of gold, I believe now the investment was well worth it. Hehehehe…".

Minions like the ones Thomas just sent away were more like pets or messengers to the Underworld, many being bred and sold in both the legal and black markets. He had managed to acquire them on the black market, special order & also that they would be loyal only to him. Not to anyone else… not even to his parents.

The demon prince went back to his bed, this time sitting on the edge of it as he was deep in thought once more. He thought, 'Now, I need to make sure to take the plans I wrote down for my device & to take them with me. This is a slight change in my original plans, but this one maybe for the better. The junkyard will most likely have the parts I need, and also some privacy so that my folks won't suspect a thing.'.

He said to himself with a dark look and smile on his face, "Marco Diaz… you are going to pay for bringing me down like this. And once you are really out of the picture for good… Star will be all mine, and soon we will rule both kingdoms together with me on the very top of it all. Hehehehe…".

~At Metal Valley~

While certain demons and unicorns plotted, so did others within the Prime Web area where Rasticore was meeting with Silka, Meteora & the other Council leaders. He had taken the magical pocket mirror device that his latest recruit Ratatusk had used earlier, going to the valley & soon showing to all what occurred at Butterfly Castle.

Needless to say, the various members there were stunned by what they saw and heard. Meteora was smirking the entire time, seeing the fight between her relation & King Khan. Silka was more interested in the conversation that had taken place between the royals, as this was something that she felt she could exploit but needed to plan carefully and cunningly.

When it all ended, the cybernetic Septarian looked to his allies and inquired, "Well, what do you think?".

Meteora smirk never left her face as she replied, "Heh, looks like Queen Moon is not as rusty as I thought she was. I believe it will be satisfying to beat her into oblivion when the time comes!". The half-Mewnian/half-Monster young lady had been itching for some serious good fighting, as the spider that did spar with her were good… but not good enough, in her view at least.

Silka stated, "I believe that this will work better to our cause in getting more alliances. It seems that Star and her friends are not what they seem, and this kind of revelation could bring a large blow to all of the family's reputation. Although…". She hissed loudly, seeing the family clan that had been cleansed from her ancestor's curse still a sore spot for her.

One of the male Elders spoke, "While Silka does have a point, we should tread lightly here until we have suitable alliances, weapons and troops. Rasticore, have you managed to secure an alliance with the Empire?".

The humanoid lizard smirked and answered, "While not a formal alliance, they have sent me someone to assist with my endeavors as well as state that they will grant Meteora an audience… after she has completed her training. They have sent me one of their top guards to assist me. His name is Gareedioshia, Sin Guard of Greed.". Hearing this made the spiders and Meteora grin, as just having any kind of help from the Destroian Empire was a boon not to be taken lightly.

Rasticore looked to Meteora and put in, "Be sure to complete your training, not just with metal but also with everything else the Iron Spider clan gives you. Again, we have one chance to truly impress the Empire so we could gain their help. Do not disappoint me, young apprentice.".

The young woman answered, "You got it, teacher! Also, before the time goes to meet with them, I would like to feast on a few more souls so I can look good for them. You never know when looking physically good can help out. Hehehehe…".

A side-effect of devouring souls was this; not only did it increase her magical & physical power, but also enhanced her physical features in a way that would make her quite catching in the eyes of any male. While she did love the effect, to her… the only one that was allowed to touch her body in a very sensual way was Rasticore.

Said bounty hunter nodded and agreed with her.

Silka inquired, "Is there anything else that you wish to report?".

Rasticore answered, "No. Sadly, Ratatusk had to vacate from the premises since the mirror could only do one recording for so long. Also, he wanted to be sure that his presence was not detected.". The Septarian had to give credit to the Mole Man, as he knew when to push his advantage & also NOT to push his luck.

Meteora than asked, "So… what else do we do?".

He looked to her and answered, "You continue to train on your metal manipulations & physical self. As for me… I need your help in something, Silka.

The large, beautiful but deadly Spider woman asked, "And what is it that you need my help with, dear Rasticore?".

He answered, "I need to use your Dimensional Web to locate a target that NEEDS to be spied upon and reported back in. I need your web… to find Marco Diaz.". The Septarian knew that if the young man was back on Earth, he would go there. However… he had no idea WHERE to look on Earth, so he needed an exact location first before doing anything.

The wheels of evil were turning now, and things would get more intense and interesting from here on out!

(Author's Notes: And… cut! That is it for this chapter! It is a bit on the short side, I know. But I wanted to get the villains/villainesses sides out of the way for now, but I do apologize for keeping you all in suspense like this.

Before I do or say anything else, I want to give praise and honor to God. Lord, thank you very much for everything. I am still heartbroken and grieving that my Dad was… not healed & is no longer with us in the flesh and blood, but at least I can take comfort in the Truth that he is in Heaven now with you and the Son. Along with all of our other relatives up there. Thank you Jesus for looking after us, and I hope you look after the rest of us here on Earth, because we truly need you badly and deeply.

I do hope and pray for this. That the COVID plague will be eliminated from the equation of life everywhere & soon, that it is made extinct for good. We already lost too much of almost everything from it… and I want to see this plague gone for good.

I hope and pray to see the end of masks on all levels, the end of distancing of ANY kind on all levels, the end of plastic walls/barriers, the end of isolation and being forced to stay at home, the end of excessive cleaning/sanitation, the end of contactless services of any kind, the end of virtual/online substitutions of any kind… and most of all, I want to see the end of this damned paranoia/fear/anxiety/doubt/hesitation/laziness that has come forth from this cursed pandemic.

This is what I hope for… this is what I hope and pray comes to be soon. I would like for everyone to make the hard but worthwhile journey back to living real and true like before, long before this plague came into existence.

Next chapter will come, but maybe awhile since I will be focusing on my Danny Phantom/Dragonball crossover. But rest assured, it will come! Also, I finally decided on the names of King & Queen Pony Head. I found that their origins hailed from Mesopotamia, so I gave them names from said area.

Also, I need your assistance. I gave Whistine, Khrysthalle, Jan-Jan and Azniss Pony Head some unique abilities/gifts. But I would like for you all to be more involved with the story here, so I would like for your help. What kind of abilities/skills/gifts would you like to give to the other Pony Head unicorn sisters? I would like for said gifts to be versatile, that it has a use that while to most would seem useless… is actually quite potent when utilized correctly.

Now for the questions! Ahem…

If you were with the Pony Head sisters, what would you say or do when Rachel told them all everything? And what would you be thinking after Rachel explained what had occurred at Butterfly Castle?

If you were King Gilad Pony Head, what would you say to Lilacia on her new accommodations? And if she did produce a strike three, what would her punishment be?

What do you think of Tom Lucitor's plan?

If you were with the bad guys and girls at the Prime Web, what would your input be? Also, what kind of training would you put Meteora through if you had the chance?

And finally this… if Rasticore did go to Earth, but did not have Marco's exact location and was transported to another area on said planet, what would you like for it to be? And why?

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