Stranger Danger - "Checking for Spots of Evil."

"Okay, Star, it's done!" Marcia called out as she walked into Star's room. In the demi-cat girl's hands was a bowl of pudding, freshly made.

"Yes!" Star cheered, taking the bowl from her friend. "There's no way he can resist the taste of freshly made pudding!"

Star skipped over to a high chair, setting the bowl on the little table. Resting in the high chair, with a glazed far-off expression was Glossaryck, a bib tied around his neck.

Star pulled out a spoon hovering it before the infantile Glossaryck. "Ready, Glossaryck? Here comes the airplane." Star's lips trilled as she mimicked a plane, moving the spoon towards Glossaryck's mouth.

Glossaryck flailed his arms and legs shouting, "Globgor, Globgor!"

"Wow, he is waaaay far gone," Marcia mumbled.

"Come on, Glossaryck. Be a good boy." Star attempted to move the spoon closer but Glossaryck refused.

The bowl of pudding was smacked off the table, hitting Star in the face.

"My homemade pudding!" Marcia gasped.

The bowl slid from Star's face, caked in the brown dessert. Star grumbled as she grabbed a napkin, wiping the pudding off. She looked at Glossaryck, sternly, akin to a mother scolding her child.

"Glossaryck, what have I told you? We express ourselves with our words, not our pudding."

Glossaryck wiggled more in his seat the legs lifting off the floor. The high chair rocked back and forth before tipping over. The tiny man rolled out and took off running, darting between Marcia's legs.

"Globgor!"

"Now what?" Marcia asked Star.

Star hummed before she gasped, an idea arising. She reached over to a small cabinet pulling open the drawer. "Oh, Glossaryck. Here, boy. Do you wanna…"

Glossaryck slides coming to a stop just at the border of Star's door. "Globgor?"

"…go for a walk?" Star smirked, holding up a purple leash.

Glossaryck turned to the princess, eyes large and gleaming like jewels. "Globgor!"

Star put the leash on Glossaryck, the straps going around him like a little backpack. The moment he was in Glossaryck took off, dragging Star along with him. Marcia was still, just watching as her friend was pulled out. She turned, looking at Liger who was lying on Star's bed.

"Do you wanna go for a walk?" Marcia asked.

Liger just yawned, then rolled on his back.

"Glossaryck, slow down!" Star shouted.

"Globgor, Globgor!"

Glossaryck pulled Star down the halls of Butterfly Castle, the girl huffing and yelling for him to slow down. Finally, Glossaryck came to a screeching halt, pausing before a painting.

"Glossaryck, what the heck?" Star panted, fixing some hair that had fallen in her face.

Glossaryck's head tilted back as if sniffing the portrait. As Star caught her breath Glossaryck slowly raised his leg.

"Stop that, bad Glossaryck! Are we gonna have to go back into the diaper, 'cause I will do it."

Glossaryck halted, frowning at Star. He was agitated by the princess' scolding, but that changed when he spotted a squirrelicorn sitting in one of the Castle's open windows. Pupils widening, he shot off going after the animal.

"Globgor!"

"Aaaaah, Glossaryck!"

Star held her grip on Glossaryck's leash as she was pulled backward. Unfortunately, the opposing forces caused the leash to snap, tearing away from Glossaryck and allowing him to go free. He dove out the window in hot pursuit of the squirrelicorn.

"Globgor!"

"Nooo!"

"Hey Star," Marcia greeted, appearing behind her friend. "Where's Glossaryck?"

"He's escaped!" Star exclaimed, pointing out the window.

The two girls rushed over peering outside. They watched as Glossaryck chased after the squirrelicorn across a garden, tearing up the foliage as he did so.

"Globgor!"

"Those beautiful roses!" Marcia gasped.

The squirrelicorn jumped over a set of bushes and Glossaryck sprang after his prey but a hand snatched him out of the air.

"Whoa, Glossaryck!"

Star and Marcia had run into the garden, witnessing the stranger who had captured the trouble-making magic man.

Scattered petals and destroyed buds lay strewn about. The remnants of what was once beautiful foliage lay crushed and broken.

"Heh, oh my goodness, I am so sorry about your roses. He'd…oh!" Star was apologizing, face faltering as she saw the destruction Glossaryck had caused.

"I can help fix this," Marcia offered. "I can grow a mean garden. Although tulips and cacti are my specialties."

"Oh don't worry. They're just flowers."

There before the girls stood a woman with pale skin and teal hair. On the apples of her cheeks were raspberry-red spade-shaped marks, denoting her Mewni lineage. She wore a long, dark purple dress with a thin brown belt at the waist. Her hands were covered in purple gloves that stopped a few inches below the elbow.

"It's not like they're something really cool, like a squirrelicorn. Isn't that right?" She looked at Glossaryck, wagging a finger.

"Globgor! Globgor!"

The woman touched the gem on Glossaryck's forehead and he seized before going still, limp in the woman's hand. He looked calm and relaxed, melting at the woman's touch.

"Glo...bgor. Oh…"

Star and Marcia looked at one another amazed before turning to the woman.

"How did you do that, and teach it to me now," Star said.

"Hahah, he just looked like he needed a little head scratch." The woman said, passing Glossaryck over to Star.

"Globgor," Glossaryck softly sighed.

"You know, once in a while, you've got to slow down and appreciate the feeling of a nice head scratch, or the smell of a freshly bloomed rose, or the taste of a delicious candy bar."

She pulled out a candy bar from seemingly nowhere, eating it in one go. She moaned happily, chocolate rimming her mouth. Tossing the wrapper off to the side it landed in a bucket filled to the brim with numerous eaten candy bars.

"I might have some self-control issues," The woman chuckled along with the girls.

"Yeah, me, too," Star lightly laughed. "You seem so familiar. We've met before, right?"

"Maybe. I used to visit this garden a lot. Oh-oh, have you been to the Rose Tower?" The woman pointed up to a tall dilapidated tower. "The view of the garden is absolutely divine."

Star shook her head. "Oh, no, no, no, no, no. That's been condemned for forever."

"Well, don't let that stop you."

Star giggled, "Hey if you're around tonight, you should come to the royal dinner."

"Oh, that sounds delightful. But I may have other plans."

"Aw. You got a hot date?" Star asked.

"Something like that." The woman smiled, looking at Star before turning her sights onto Marcia.

The cat-eared girl smiled, waving her hand.

"Hmmmm…" The woman hummed, studying Marcia, stepping closer to the girl, examining her. She walked up to Marcia, squashing the girl's cheeks between one of her hands.

"Uh…"

She moved Marcia's head left then right, up and then down. The woman gasped as she let go of Marcia.

"Lady Luna! Oh! It's been too long!"

The woman wrapped her arms around Marcia pulling the girl in for a hug. Confused, the brunette looked at her friend with a silent plea of help.

"Umm….I'm sorry, Miss, but my name is Marcia!"

The woman didn't let go of Marcia saying. "Oh, yes, it has been a few generations since you've been about."

"Huh?"

Before anything could be further questioned, the doors to the garden were blasted open. There stood a battle-ready Queen Moon, along with the rest of the High Commission accompanied by a gaggle of Mewni guards.

"Star! Marcia!"

"Mom?"

Omnitraxus Prime roared rushing in. He grabbed the woman lifting her off the ground before smashing her into a nearby wall. The woman seemed unphased as her body was buried into the wall, the stone cracked and split.

"Omnitraxus!" Star and Marcia gasped.

"What is going on?" Star questioned as the garden was swarmed.

"Star, are you and Marcia okay?" Queen Moon ran to her daughter, placing her hands on her cheeks. "Did she hurt either of you?"

"What? No. No one hurt me or Marcia. We were just talking to that nice lady," Star said.

"Nice lady? Star, that's Eclipsa," Queen Moon said.

"Oh. Long time, no speak, Moon. How did that spell work out for you?" Eclipsa asked casually.

Queen Moon pointed at Eclipsa. "Not another word out of you, Eclipsa."

"That's Eclipsa!?" Star gasped.

"From that history book you let me borrow?" Marcia asked.

The girls were quickly carted off, more like dragged across the castle until they were pulled into what appeared to be a medical ward. Without even being able to get a word in Marcia and Star were pushed into individual showers. While Star was drenched with cold water, Marcia had been stripped of all her clothes before being doused with the freezing water. There was a hiss of a shriek–Marcia's pupils contracting, shirking into slits–as the cold water touched her bare skin.

"We need to decontaminate you two," Hekapoo said.

"Why did you guys take my clothes?!" Marcia shouted.

"You had direct contact," Hekapoo said.

Marcia peeked from out behind the curtain of the decontamination shower, wet hair flopping in her face. She watched as Hekapoo held up a sack, which contained her collected clothes, then set it on fire.

"My clothes!"

After being given a plush Mewni robe–despite its incredible softness it couldn't quell Marcia's anger over her charred clothing– Star and Marcia were set on an examination table. The girls sat side by side, confused beyond comparison.

Hekapoo invaded the girls' space waving an otoscope in their faces.

"Look into the light, please."

"What?"

"Uh, to check for spots of evil."

"Spots of evil?"

"Well, there's no telling what Eclipsa might have done to either of you."

"Less damage than what you just did to my clothes!" Marcia said.

Marcia hissed as the light was shined in her eyes, the ends of her tail puffing in agitation.

"Stop it. I am telling you, Eclipsa didn't do anything. We are fine," Star said.

"What she said, or at least I was fine until you guys took my clothes and turned them into ash!" Marcia exclaimed

Rhombulus, who'd been aiding Hekapoo, appeared with a wheelchair. He picks up each girl, dropping them atop of one another, in the seat of the wheeled chair.

The girls complained as they were wheeled just across the room and dropped off before Omnitraxus, who floated before an eye exam paper. They were each handed a plastic paddle to cover their eyes.

"One by one, cover your left eye with the paddle, and read the lines as best you can," Omnitraxus said.

Star rolled her eyes but stepped up first.

"I. A. M. E. V. I," Star frowned, dropping the paddle. "What? No, you don't."

"Hey, that just spells 'I am evil.'" Marcia pointed out.

Rhombulus pounced, snake hands at the ready. "That was, like, totally an admission."

"What? No, this is rigged. I was reading the thing," Star said.

Rhombulus scooted closer to the girls, poking Marcia with one of his snake hands.

"Stop that," Marcia hissed, slapping away one of the snake hands.

"Ahhh! It burns! The evil burns!" Rhombulus overdramatically exclaimed flopping onto his back and rolling on the floor.

Marcia sighed, putting her hands on her hips.

Marcia watched from behind a glass container as more tests were performed on Star. From a skin check to a monkey checking her for "evil" fleas. After the little show from Rhombulus, Marcia had been put in an isolation chamber.

"Hey, when can I get out of here? While I can appreciate your thorough sanitation protocols…I don't want nor need to be in here!" Marcia said

"You can go once we've proven that you're not evil," Rhombulus said. He tapped on the glass with a snake hand. "Are. You. Evil?" He asked with each tap.

"No!" Marcia threw her hands up. "How many times do I have to say it?"

"Well if you weren't evil then why did that slap hurt so much?" Rhombulus asked.

Marcia crossed her arms. "Maybe you're just fragile?"

Rhombulus's eye drooped sadly as he rubbed the top of one of his snakeheads with the other one.

"Now you've hurt me here," He held up his snake hand, "And here," somberly he pointed at his chest where his heart was. "She's clearly evil!" He shouted, throwing up his arms.

Marcia just facepalmed. As she was stuck behind her glass prison, she watched Star get strapped to a table, as Hekapoo placed suction cups on her cheeks.

"Hey! What? Do you even know what you're doing?" Star questioned.

"No, but we still gotta do a test. Are you evil?!" Rhombulus shouted.

"Noooooo!" Star groaned.

The machine Star was hooked up to beeped steadily overhead.

Hekapoo nodded as she wrote something down on a clipboard. "Mm-hmm, mm-hmm."

"Are you evil, are you evil, are you evil?" Rhombulus asked over and over again.

The examination/integration was paused as the door opened, and Queen Moon stepped in. The group crowding around Star stepped away allowing the Queen to go to her daughter.

"Is she all right?"

"I am fine. I talked to Eclipsa for, like, two seconds, and she was really nice. She gave Marcia a hug. No big deal," Star said.

Queen Moon glanced over at Marcia, the girl in what appeared to be a giant test tube. She gave the Queen a bored look, lazily waving a hand.

"It could be a very big deal," Queen Moon said.

"Okay, fine, but why?" Star asked, her annoyance level still at critical.

"Star, she betrayed her kingdom. She abandoned her people so she could run off with a monster," Queen Moon said.

"Mm-hmm, yes, right. I knew that. Kinda selfish. Okay, then what? She blew everything up?" Star asked.

"No. They crystallized her before she had the chance," Queen Moon said.

"Wa-wa-wait, you crystallized her for being in love?" Star said aghast.

"To a monster! And that's not all. She didn't respect the natural order. She meddled in the dark arts, and created her own chapter of dangerous evil magic."

"Have you ever even read it?" Star asked.

Queen Butterfly scoffed as she crossed her arms. "Of course not."

"Well, I have, and it really wasn't that big of a deal. Heck, even Marcia read it," Star said.

"Ugh." Queen Moon groaned, pinching her brows. She turned to the High Commission. "Chime in any time, guys. You knew her, too."

"Uuuhhhh, I mean, I saw her double-dipping in the ranch at the royal ball once," Hekapoo said.

"She told me she thought Rhombulus was annoying," Omnitraxus added.

"Can you believe it?" Rhombulus huffed, throwing up his arms.

"Yes," Star answered flatly.

"Oh, yeah. She totally used to eat babies!" Rhombulus said.

"Nope, nope, that wasn't Eclipsa." Hekapoo quickly thought on the manner. "That was Bobipsa, the barbarian baby eater."

"Are you calling me a liar?" Rhombulus shouted, pointing at Hekapoo.

"I'm pretty sure Eclipsa was a pescatarian," Omnitraxus said.

"That just means the only meat she ate was fish!" Marcia said.

"Okay, guys, as fascinating and fact-filled as this conversation is, I'm feeling kinda done. The tests say I'm fine," Star said.

"Star, please, these tests are for your own good," Queen Moon said.

"Ugh! I am good. And, it sounds like Eclipsa didn't deserve to be crystallized. I mean, what's next, you gonna crystallize me if I do something you don't approve of?" Star said with a defiant look pointed at her mother.

Queen Moon didn't waver, eyes narrowed as she stared at her daughter. "Give us the room."

The High Commission left, leaving behind Star, Queen Moon, and Marcia in the corner.

"You know, when I first met Eclipsa, I trusted her, too. I didn't know any better. Truthfully, Star, you're very capable for your age, but-"

"Then why won't anyone listen to me?" Star pouted.

"It's complicated. Eclipsa can be very… convincing. For your safety, let me handle this," Queen Moon said.

"So, what are you gonna do?"

"I'm afraid the only option is immediate re-crystallization."

"What? No. No, no, no, no. That's so harsh. You can't just go crystallizing-"

"This isn't a debate, Star. I gave my orders to the Magic High Commission, and they're on their way to her cell as we speak. She's to be re-crystallized immediately."

With that, Queen Moon exited the room.

"Oh-ho-ho, we'll see about that. Mar-!"

"I'm already out," Marcia proudly stated, walking over to her friend.

The glass container had a large perfect circle cut out of it, the slab of circular glass resting off to the side.

"How'd you get out of there?" Star asked, impressed.

Marcia smiled, holding up a hand. She flexed her fingers, retractable claws popping out.

"Awesome! Let's go!" Star said.

They ran out of the room quickly coming upon a window that peered inside another similar medical room.

"Globgor!"

Glossaryck was pressed against the glass and Star's wand was strapped to an operating table hooked up to various machines.

"My wand!"

Star went for the doorknob and tried to open the door but found it locked.

"Locked!" Star cursed. She pressed her hands on the glass. "Glossaryck."

"Globgor."

"Glossaryck!" Star shouted, banging on the glass.

"Globgor?"

Finally, she'd gotten Glossaryck's attention, the tiny magic man facing the princess.

"Glossaryck, the wand." Star gestured behind Glossaryck towards her wand.

"Globgor?" Glossaryck blinked and proceeded to pick his nose.

While Star groaned facepalming, Marcia reeled, sticking out her tongue, disgusted.

"Don't worry Star," Marcia stepped up to the door, flicking out one of her claws, "I got this."

She knelt before the door, lips skewed, as her brows pinched in concentration. She stuck the claw into the keyhole, leaning close as her cat ear perked up.

"Hmmm, mmmhmmm, yup, ah-ha!"

There was a soft click and Marcia stood up opening the door.

"Yes!" Star cheered.

Marcia stared down at her fingers. "These things are awesome! I'm handier than a safety swiss army knife."

"Globgor!"

Marcia and Star had to duck as Glossaryck came flying out of the room, riding Star's wand like a horse.

"No, Glossaryck! We have to save Eclipsa!"

The girls took chase, running behind the wand riding Glossaryck. They kept up, following each twist and turn that Glossaryck took.

"Globgor!"

He turned around to face the girls, sticking his tongue out blowing raspberries.

"Ugh, and I thought you were the worst before!" Marcia said.

"Marcia boost!"

"On it!"

Marcia knelt, being down on one knee, lacing her fingers. Star ran and hopped into her friend's cradled hands.

"Hup!" Marcia pushed up, sending Star hurtling toward Glossaryck. She snatched Glossaryck quickly putting the blue man into another leash.

"Gotcha." Star held up her wand. "Super sparkle cloudy!"

Cloudy came forth, cheering, flapping a pair of purple wings. He flew under Star, Marcia hopping on behind her friend. Cloudy took off, Glossaryck being dragged behind by the leash.

"Weeeeee!"

They raced down the halls of the castle's dungeon, Star leading the charge as she held her wand high above her head.

They arrived at Eclipsa's cell, just as the High Commission did. Rhombulus stepped forward, his crystal head glowing.

"I'm gonna enjoy this."

"Rhombulus, no! Wait!"

Cloudy rammed into Rhombulus, his crystal beam missing its target, bouncing off the wall behind Eclipsa. It ricocheted around the room, the group shouting and screaming as they tried to avoid the blast.

"Oh geez," Rhombulus said.

Hekapoo ducked, covering her head. "Turn it off!"

Marcia jumped, clinging to the wall, the blast just barely missing her tail. Star jumped over Cloudy, the blast passing through her legs. The shot bounced around the corner of the room before nailing Rhombulus in the butt.

"Hhgregg! Ow! OWIE!" He shouted.

Everyone watched as a large bushel of crystals grew out of his rear end.

"Great…" Rhombulus huffed, bent over. "Now I got crystals growing outta my–"

"Well, girls, you've caused quite the ruckus," Queen Moon said.

"Will you all just listen to me for one second? Crystallizing people is a serious punishment, and so far, no one has been able to convince me that Eclipsa deserves it," Star said.

"Star, I know Eclipsa seems nice, but she can get into your head and make you do things you don't want to do," Queen Moon said.

"Oh, my goodness, you're right." Star gasped with sarcasm that only a teenager could wield. "Giving you that spell to destroy Toffee was her idea. Oh, no, wait. You were the one who went to her for help."

"All right, yes, but…"

"And you made a deal with her. When Toffee was destroyed, she'd be set free. Well, hey, Toffee's gone, and you wanna go back on your word?" Star added.

"But Star, look what her spell did to me."

Queen Moon removed her glove revealing the skin of her hand to be a dark plague purple. The color was darker at the tip of her fingers, fading as it traveled down. As it reached her wrist it split apart turning into frightful veins that traveled all the way to her forearm.

"When I performed that spell, I could feel the darkness. Eclipsa is evil, Star. I know you don't believe it now, but if you wait to find out the truth for yourself, it'll be too late."

"Okay, fine. If she is as bad as you say she is, then put her in a crystal. But she at least deserves to have a fair trial."

"Oh, for goodness' sake, fine." Queen Moon threw up her arms. "We'll have a trial."

"Ah, yes!" Star cheered as she started dancing. "Due process, due process."

"But I'm only allowing this because I want there to be no doubt amongst anyone in Mewni—I'm looking at you, Star—that Eclipsa is evil and deserves her fate," Queen Moon said.

"See Eclipsa? Around here, we believe in a little thing called the justice system," Star said.

Seeing as this was over the High Commission started to leave.

"Hey, where are you going?" Star asked.

"Well, it's going to take a little time to get the trial all setup," Queen Moon explained.

"What? No, you can't just leave her chained up in this dark and smelly dungeon," Star said.

Marcia held up a hand. "As someone who has spent time here, I agree."

"You know, I always did enjoy gazing at the roses," Eclipsa suddenly said.

It was quickly agreed that Eclipsa would be taken to the Rose Tower and guards came to collect her. Before everyone could leave Marcia stopped the group.

"Hey, uh, quick question before everyone leaves. Who is Lady Luna?"

The High Commission froze and slowly turned facing Marcia.

"Marcia, what….did you just say?" Queen Moon asked.

Marcia jabbed a thumb over her shoulder towards Eclipsa, who was midway through being unchained. "She called me Lady Luna when we first met."

Each one of the High Commission gaped, what looked like disbelief on their faces.

"What? Why do you guys look like that?" Marcia questioned.

"The Sphinxtonia Empire," Queen Moon whispered.

A/N - I'm going to be going back and revising some of the older chapters. Don't worry not much is going to change, just fixing grammatical errors and zhuzhing it up. If you want to go back and reread the updated chapters you can as I won't be changing the core of the story, I may add a bit here and there but you won't be confused if you don't go back. I'll also still be updating the story so you won't have to worry about me pausing updates as I fix the other chapters.