It was there last adventure, and Star had suggested they go to a dimension where everyone was always partying and the concept of time had yet to be invented. Marco however had wanted to go somewhere that he could blow off steam by fighting various monsters and people. In the end a compromise had been reached and they had snipped their way to a dimension where monsters lurked in secret and the towns folks celebrated every time one was killed.
Currently, the town they had come to was in the middle of a three day and three night festival to celebrate a Sir Hadrow and his recent triumph over a very nasty subterranean beast that had been sinking houses and eating the inhabitants. Star and Marco slid along the outskirts of the cluster of people in the town center. Every so often they would catch glimpses of the blonde hero as he kissed yet another women and shook one more grateful person's hand.
The two resigned themselves to a small pub that lay just at the edge of town, it wasn't full, but full enough for their presence to be drawn into the celebration. Star swished whatever liquid the waitress had poured into a mug in her mouth, eyes squinting as she concentrated on the taste. Marco was simply staring in amazement at the pure size of the roasted animal that sat in front of him, poking it every so often to remind himself that it was indeed dead.
"This suuuuuucks Marco, why can't we go party with everyone else?" Star smacked her head on the table as she wailed, earning the suspicious glances of a few compatriots who were too close.
"Rule 38 of the Hero's Guide To Interdimensional Travel Star: Avoid any unnecessary contact or else-"
"Or else risk interdimensional complications, yeah Marco, I know I helped write the thing to remember?"
The 'thing' as Star put it was a pet project that Marco had started back in Sophomore year. It was a result of a rather terrible adventure where Star and Marco clashed over morals and principals that were represented by two opposing people. Star had sided with one and Marco the other. However, several days later they met on the battlefield, both clad in armour and both ready to settle a war with whatever means necessary. Upon realizing that they were fighting each other they immediately backed down and, after pretending to kill one another, quietly warped home.
After that Marco had decided that they needed some type of system to assure that they would never endanger themselves again. The result was a massive tome of rules that they must always follow whenever going to other dimensions. Star had initially been against the sheer volume of rules, claiming that they would infringe upon her fun and meddling antics. Marco had simply pointed out that it was those antics that had nearly made them kill each other and reluctantly she agreed to put a certain enchantment on the book.
The spell, which took several days to complete and the approval of several transdimensional beings, gave the book a life of its own. Should anyone in possession of the book begin to or break a rule the book would activate and release its mystical energy in order to stop them. This precaution of Marcos was in hopes that Star wouldn't be as destructive as usual if the threat of punishment loomed.
The guide was currently shaking and glowing within Marcos backpack, signaling that Stars determination to break one of its rules was noted. The girl simply rolled her eyes and slumped back on the table, drawing pictures into the wood with her wand. Marco smiled and began to eat his massive meal.
"You're still the safe kid you know that?" he rolled his eyes and ignored the obvious bait to start an argument with her.
"Maybe, but you still asked me to be your boyfriend if I recall." he smirked at her across the table as a slight flush came across her cheeks, tinting her heart's a bright red.
Smiling he leaned over and laid a chaste kiss on her lips, a sort of silent apology for embarrassing her. She returned it with one of her own and the two shared a warm look before returning to their respective meal and drink. He could feel Star's eyes on him as he ate, her watchful blue eyes that were trying to find a way to convince him to break a rule regardless of what the book would do.
But he had an ace in the hole.
"I love you Star," he spoke calmly, there was no stutter, no nervousness, he was stating a simple fact, words that he said to her a thousand times already.
And yet every time he spoke them to her she flushed a dark red and began to nervously chew on her wand. Tonight was no exception, the heat rose from her neck to her face and her hair appeared to be standing on end. Her heart's glowed a vibrant purple before settling down to a dull pink.
"Love you too," she grumbled defeatedly and with that her eyes drooped to look into her cup as she came to terms with her untimely defeat.
Their love had been something nearly everyone was expecting, even Marco himself. Around the end of freshman year a fact loomed over him, he had pinned after Jackie for so long with little to no results. And yet, despite his constant efforts he had still managed to fall in love with Star, and so he had to ask himself, who did he really love? Or did he love anyone at all? So, swallowing his nerves and fear, he turned to Jackie as she passed him by on her skateboard for the umpteenth time and called out to her.
"Hey Jackie, would you like to go on a date tonight?" his words were calm and his face was molded into a complicated smile. Jackie eyed him thoughtfully, watching the hope, longing, fear and remorse mix together to form a wonderfully strange expression.
But she didn't ask him what was wrong, instead she gave a confident nod and an easy going grin. They made plans for eight and met in the center of town where they walked and talked at all their favorite places. Jackie showed him a secret skatepark that had been built in the eighties and abandoned outside of town and Marco showed her a lush field of flowers where he and Star had spent an entire day just talking.
They ended up at a park down the street from his house, a group of teenagers smoked on the swing set as they talked about which girl was going to fall in love with them next. The pair sat on a picnic table that had remained remarkably untouched and watched the stars. Marco pointed out every observable constellation and Jackie decided to make some of her own, even affectionately naming one the safe kid.
"So Marco my man, what made you wanna ask me out tonight?" she swung her legs and watched him from the corner of seafoam eyes.
He didn't need to look at her to know she was watching, instead he kept his eyes on the star pattern she had named after him. In the background he heard the teens jeering at them, shouting obscenities while casually flirting with Jackie. He ignored them and thought about the question, wondering if there was a right answer to give her.
"I just wanted to confirm something is all," she looked at him warmly, there was knowing in her ocean eyes and Marco felt his heart skip a beat at being so close to her.
But then another pair of eyes flitted across his mind and his heart returned to normal.
"And did you?" she asked as though she already knew the answer, and after talking to her all night Marco was sure she did. She was far smarter and wiser than he or anyone had given her credit for and the knowledge only served as a reminder of how little he truly knew about her.
"Yeah, I did." she nodded and the two returned to staring up at the sky, Jackie asked him once more to name all the constellations and he happily did so, pointing them out until they began to fade with the rising sun.
He really did love stars.
When Marco returned to the house at around six in the morning Star was fast asleep on the couch, a 'Congratulations On Landing The Girl' banner above her head and an entire tray of cold conglomerated nachos on the table. Smiling he sat down next to her and took a bite, swallowing thickly as the congealed cheese went down. The loud cracking of a chip snapped her out of her light sleep.
"Marco! Oh you're home oh my gosh how was it? Are you two in love? Did you plant a fat one on her? Come on what happened!" the girl was bouncing from the chair to the couch almost shouting with excitement.
"Actually I told her that I didn't have feelings for her anymore, we hung out a bit and watched the sun rise and then I came home." even though he hadn't really said any of that he was sure that Jackie had understood what he had meant. He rose from his position and began to make his way upstairs as Star simply watched him dumbfounded.
"Wait, wait so does that mean you're in love with someone else or something?" she bolted after him, following him to his room and hanging off of him as she waited for an answer.
He turned to her, and wore that same complicated smile that he had shown Jackie and Star felt a before unknown twang in her heart.
"Who knows," he said simply and then retreated into his room, leaving her confused and himself embarrassed.
For a while he was content to leave things as they were, he and Star went on more adventures and she continued to pester him about who he was now in love with. It went on for a year, they learned more and they cried more than they ever had in their lives. They fought, they quarreled and at the end of it all Marco found that he had fallen even more in love with the strange outlandish girl than ever before.
Star on the other hand didn't realize what the strange movement in her heart was until much later. In the summer of her Sophomore year she felt the twang numerous times whenever Marco touched her, on purpose or accidental. And finally after a particularly grueling battle with a hoard of demons that had resulted in Marco holding onto her in the face of near death the feeling bloomed within her. A massive burst of magic was unleashed, evaporating any threat with the immediate area.
It wasn't until another few months later that Star finally decided to test her emotion.
"Hey Marco mind if I read you something?" Star called from the kitchen, Marco who was sitting on the couch binge watching action movies and stuffing his face with chips shot her a thumbs up in response .
Star darted to him, flipping over the couch and landing on her feet between his legs. Marco sighed and attempted to look around her body in hopes of catching the climax of the fight. Star however moved with him, determined to have all his attention directed at her, which she got with a begrudging sigh.
" Eh-hem, 'Reasons Why I Would Be A Perfect Girlfriend For Marco Diaz,' by Star Butterfly. Reason 1: We know each other more than anybody has ever known another person." the girl began, reciting at her top volume.
"Star-"
"Reason 2: We both love fighting monsters, watching movies and going on adventures."
"Star wait-"
"Reason 3: We're already inseparable, why not just bump up the fun of besties to the fun of boyfriend and girlfriend?"
"Star please I'm begging you-"
"Reason 4: I am a very accepting person and will be loyal no matter what, even when you fart while you sleep, which you do, a lot."
"Star."
Finally, his calm collected voice snapped her out of her mechanical reading. She looked down at him curiously as he took a long sip from his drink. Her nerves were starting to get the better of her and she danced between his legs while she chewed on her wand. Marco however looked at ease, his eyes reading the label of the drink as he appeared to be in deep thought.
"Alright, you've convinced me." Star squealed and threw herself into him, knocking them and the couch backwards.
For a moment they stared at eachother, Marco threw a bowl of upturned chips and Star through her now frizzy hair. And then they were laughing and hugging, nuzzling at the others faces and planting warm kisses wherever they could. It was as if almost a year's worth of romantic fantasies were escaping within one confession.
"Really? You mean it? Like, really really?" she kissed up and down his cheek pressing her face into any nook she could get to as the boy laughed.
"Of course I've been in love with you for a long time after all." they shared their first kiss and then cleaned up the living room, everything sort of fell into place after that.
And nothing really changed.
The tavern was starting to grow quieter as people lifted their heavy heads from the bar and began the long march home. Star and Marco left a bit of money and began to head towards the exit when it was suddenly blocked by a very disheveled town member. His face was red and veins pulsed all along his body as sweat dripped to the ground.
"It's a beast, a beast has come and it's eaten Sir Hadrow!" Star and Marco shared one look before rushing past the man, sprinting towards the town center where whatever monster had appeared had already started quite a few fires.
The pair arrived at the town square, Marco sank into a defensive stance while Star prepared her wand, the half star glowing ominously. A great shadow appeared as the beast came into view and Marcos jaw was quick to drop from the sight. In front of them stood a great wolf, its fur matted with blood and trees, scars traveled all across his body, revealing his naked skin beneath. It eyed them from across the square, intelligent golden orbs appraising them and their threat.
"I don't like the way that thing is looking at us Star, feels like he could open up his mouth and start talking." Marco looked over at the girl who was wearing an excited smile as she watched the gigantic creature through the fire.
"Relax Marco, it's just an oversized puppy, we can handle something like that no problem." Marco matched her confident grin and returned his watchful gaze to the wolf, fully prepared for it to charge at them.
But when he turned to look, it was already gone.
"What the-" however Marco's questioning was cut off by a sudden whoosh of air behind him. He turned too late as the gigantic maw of the wolf descended towards him, ready to swallow him in one bite.
"Bubble Gum Super Bubble!" Star cheered as pink sphere surrounded them, the wolf's teeth sank into the gum exterior, growls of frustration leaving it as it attempted to dig them out. Marco panted from the near death experience, clutching at his heart through his hoodie and eyeing the great beast fearfully.
"Jeez that thing can move fast, if it wasn't for you I would have been a late night snack!" Star giggled as she watched the monster chew on them like a toy.
"Aww you're such a cute puppy, but-" with a wave of her wand she dispersed the bubble, shooting gum all across the wolf's pelt and eyes, blinding it. "We don't really have time to play with pets right now."
As the beast howled and smashed itself against houses and the ground Marco hopped to his feet and took a more offensive position. Star had once more pointed her wand at the enemy, this time fully intending to send it flying with a blast to its face. As if sensing this the wand began to shudder and glow.
"Rainbow Rocket!" the half star trembled violently as Star's mighty magical power coursed through it, preparing to send the creature to the next dimension.
However the blast never came.
"And freeze," all at once her attack was frozen, the beast was frozen, her wand was frozen, even the night sky was frozen.
From across the town center the two made out a human like shape petting the mighty foot of the beast before making its way towards them. Marco stepped in front of Star, face hard and determined while Star positioned her wand on Marco's head in preparation. However as the figure came into full view the two lowered their respective weapons in pure surprise.
He was human, or at least appeared to be. His skin was a pale white and his short brown hair was neatly combed to the side, complementing the formal look he gained from wearing a pitch black suite. His face was gaunt and thin and his smile seemed permanent, however it was his eyes that gave away his otherworldly qualities. They glowed an unearthly light blue, illuminating the area around him, and where pupils should have been there were only hourglass shapes.
"Well, that was fun to watch, good thing too, if it were boring then I would have wasted the three million years of time that led up to this exact moment so thank God for that right?" the figure loomed over the two of them, quickly invading their personal space.
"Hmm, your time has quite a nice shape, but I guess it should considering," he trailed off as he stared into Marco's eyes, the strange shape hypnotizing the boy and knocking him onto his back in a woozy state. "Whoops sorry kiddo, don't look too deep into the eyes of time, you'll get lost there."
Star was quick to stand in front of Marco, her body puffed out as if to intimidate the much taller man. She stared defiantly into his eyes, undaunted by whatever power they may have held. The man simply smiled and leaned back, allowing the two some breathing room, Star quickly turned to help Marco up, however the sudden movement caused him to once more fall to the ground, face green as he held back the roasted beast from earlier.
"You too girl, your times all over the place, it's crazy to look at, you know it's stuff like this that reminds me why this is so much fun!" Star glared at the man, he had fallen back into the air and begun to float, using his arms to move around as if he were swimming.
"W-Who are you?" the man looked over in surprise, as if he hadn't been expecting to have to answer any type of questions. Marco had managed to get to his feet with Stars help, and while he was covered in a sheen of sweat he still did his best to look intimidating.
"Who me? Oh you know just your run of the mill all knowing omnipotent being, nobody interesting, you're the cool ones, who are you guys? Wait don't answer that, already know." Star shivered at the feeling the man was giving her, it was the same sensation she had so often felt with Tom but had once mistaken for affection.
Fear.
"No I meant your name, like who are you man? Are you the guy who stopped time?" he appeared before them again, this time covering his eyes so that Marco couldn't see them.
"My name, oh man its been so long, but at the same time I guess it really hasn't. Um, Collin? No it wasn't that stupid, Colton? No, um, oh, oh right it's Cole, Cole Hausen, yes my name is Cole Hausen, I am the Time Walker, a being who exists at every moment and at the same time only this one. I see all, know all and will one day tell all. I am the Observer, bound to bear witness to every moment of every universe in every dimension in every timeline in the infinitely arching multiverse until time finally reaches its conclusion." Star and Marco stared at him incredulously, as if not believing a word of it.
"O-kay crazy, but what are you doing here? And what are you doing just freezing time? Don't you know how dangerous that is?" Star had begun to back away, however Cole followed unfettered.
"I'm here because, um, oh shoot what was it? Sorry existing at all points in time kind of makes you a scatterbrain, hard to focus you know? Oh right, I'm here to warn you guys, usually outside interference isn't allowed but hey, this is one of the only moment in the arch that I actually can so I figure, might as well right?" Cole was scratching violently at his head as he talked, as if trying to dig out his brain so he could better remember.
"Warn us about what? That a weirdo with clock eyes is gonna try to abduct us after freezing time? Sorry but we already got the memo on that one." Cole blinked at her before letting out a strange yelp like laugh.
"No no, not anything that cool! I just wanted to tell you guys that, you know, big things are in the works and it's kinda in your best interest to get ready ya know? Just some advice though."
"Okay fine, thank you very much, you can go now, and please unfreeze time, I really hate when this kind of thing happens." she turned away from him and began hauling Marco and herself back towards the outskirts of town so that they could warp away.
"No can do," Cole appeared in front of them in a flash of blue light, startling the girl and causing her to fall to the ground with Marco in tow. "See I'm the Observer, which means I have to observe every event that ever happens, and the events that happen with you guys shape the future of this and every other dimension in this universe. Sorry, I don't wanna do it either but it's kinda my thing."
"Wait," came Marcos weak voice, earning the other two's attention. Star helped him sit up so that he could better speak. "You said infinite multiverse and other timelines. If you don't wanna do the whole observing thing on us why not just go to one where we don't exist? There's gotta be at least a few right?"
"Pfft, I wish!" Cole said rolling his eyes as he once more began to hover on his back. "Believe me I checked, but nada, zilch, none. See there's two things that every single multiverse, time stream and dimension have in common. One, both Marco Diaz and Star Butterfly exist, and two, both of you always end up together and shaping that universe's future in the same way. Just like me the two of you exist just as you are now at the same time, doing the same thing, in all infinite timelines and universes. It's like, totally crazy right? But hey, you two are the only ones, so consider yourselves special okay?"
For a moment, the pair sat there, trying to absorb the information and process it. But then they looked at each other and smiled, and their smiles grew and fed off each other until it turned to full blown cries of joy. They jumped to their feet, dancing with each other and exchanging loving kisses as they did so. Cole watched from his hovering position, smile still in place and yet still managing to look confused.
"What's wrong with you kids, I'm trying to give you some sort of cryptic warning and here you are acting like you just got the best news of your life." Star and Marco ceased their dancing and tackled Cole with a hug, causing him to fall to the ground in surprise.
"Well yeah, we're happy after all! I mean, this means that me and Star always end up together, no matter what! It's like we're some sort of cosmic fairy tale or something right?" Marco laughed as he rolled off of the man, staring at the frozen night sky as he and Star linked arms over the stranger's body.
"Be happy some other time, right now you got stuff to do, going home for one, and getting off me too." Marco and Star agreed and stood up, still grinning ear to ear and nudging each other every few seconds, Cole's smile was still in place, but the furrow in his brows showed his annoyance.
"So, can you tell us what exactly is gonna happen? So we can, you know, prepare?" Marco asked as Star continued to jab him lightly in the side.
"Sorry, I can only interfere a little bit, can't give you specifics, but I can give you cute little warnings like the earlier one cuz that stuff doesn't mess up the timeline. Actually this is totally gonna blow your mind but because the two of you exist as you are everywhere else the three of us are having this exact same conversation."
"Woah for real? So I'm saying and acting this way in every other conceivable timeline and universe?" Star stared in wonder at Marco as he spoke before proceeding to analyze her body, as if imagining whatever other versions of it may exist.
"That's right, actually us three are the only beings in the infinite formula of universes that can do that, you're linked to all other versions of yourself and do everything the exact same, and because of that regardless of what universe it is you'll always change it in the exact same way. And because I exist always I can say exactly what needs to be said at exactly the right moment to all of you." Star and Marco cooed over that, their previous unease having been all but erased by the man's whimsical nature and his cosmic love message.
"So you can't tell us what's gonna happen, only that something does happen, and that all versions of us will proceed exactly the same way, so then that means it's like, super important we get it right or we could totally mess up the entire multiverse right?" Cole nodded enthusiastically, Star hugged onto Marcos arm, squealing about how smart he was.
"But hey if you're just the Observer why bother interfering at all? Why not just watch how things go?" Cole sighed and hopped into the air, landing in a cross legged position as he dipped into deep thought.
"Okay here's how it is, right now, the universe is kinda at an impasse kiddo. I exist at all points of time, which means that I know how everything turns out, but I only know how things turn out because I interfere at certain moments, moments where I also exist. So basically, if I don't interfere at the right moments you two can't shape the multiverse and if you don't shape the multiverse than the flow of time is interrupted and stops. Everything hinges on the fact that I interfere at times, but because I already know what's going to happen I already know this. This is a rare time when the future only has two possible outcome, either you do or you don't. But if you don't then I cease to exist and so does everything ever, which is why I have to be here so that that doesn't happen, make sense?"
"Not at all," the two said in unison, sharing a giggle and calling jinx at each other, Cole's smile was becoming strained.
"Doesn't matter, here's my point, I've got three chances in the time flow to interfere, here's one and the other two are at some point later, points that I already know. So right now I can give you one piece of advice."
"Which is?"
"Pack up and head to Mewni." Star and Marco stared at each other and Cole in shock, however he seemed serious.
"Mewni, home? But why?" Star asked fretfully, not at all thrilled with the idea of returning to her duty as a future queen.
"Sorry, I already blew my one interference, once you guys go there my second chance will come along at some moment until then you just gotta go with the flow. And of course keep in mind that everything you're doing, your counterparts in every other universe are doing at the exact same moment, but as long as you go with the natural flow of things, it should work out right until the moment where I can interfere again."
"Wait a sec," Star began, scratching at her cheek with her wand. "If you exist at all times then doesn't that mean you exist at your second and third chance for interference? So you must already be giving us the advice we need, then isn't the shape of the future already decided?"
"Sorry but no, those three moments are isolated pockets of time, they themselves have infinite branching lines of what I can say and even I don't know what needs to be done until that moment. Despite what I said earlier I only know the outcome and the moments, not what I need to say. Believe me, this is way harder for me than you, after all this is the only thing ever that I won't already know."
Star and Marco exchanged a frown but nodded, deciding to put their momentary trust into his complicated words. He had no reason to lie after all, and from what he had said and shown them it was nearly impossible for them not to believe him. Sucking in deep breaths they turned to face him, determination in their young eyes.
"Alright, we'll trust you and head to Mewni then." Cole clapped his hands delightedly and with a quick swipe opened a portal similar to one the dimensional scissors would make,
"This'll take you right home, pack and head out tomorrow at five," Marco and Star nodded and headed into the portal.
"See you soon?" Star questioned as Marco exited through the portal, Cole grinned as if it were a joke.
"I exist always, technically you already have," she grinned and walked through, disappearing along with the portal and leaving Cole in the frozen space of the dimension.
With a snap of his finger time began to flow once again, the wolf crashed into a large fortress structure and collapsed unconscious, earning a cheer of the drunk villagers who once more began to party. Cole smiled and headed towards the woods of the surrounding area.
"Oh man, I'm so excited to see how things turn out!" and with a flash of blue he was gone, leaving only a singed hourglass shape in the grass behind him.