Starco vs Parenthood Introduction - These chapters can be read separately but they are all connected. It's always the same Star & Marco, same kids, same world.
This starts 21 years after the Cleave. Star & Marco are 36, their daughter is 14 and son is 11. Family time at the park seemed like a good idea but their oldest daughter just wanted to read.
Favs, reviews, and constructive feedback are all really helpful. Thanks!
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Chapter 8 - Park Bench and the Multiverse
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'Why is that boy staring at me? He looks all nervous. Oh corn, he's walking over.'
"Ah...excuse me...ah...Miss. Is...is this side of the bench taken?"
"Miss? I'm fourteen, don't call me Miss and no, it's not taken."
"Hey, I'm fourteen too. Is...is...is it okay if I sit here then?"
"Go ahead if you want, I'm just reading."'
"Aaaaaaaaaaaah...sure is a nice day here in the park."
"Yup."
"You...are you new around here?"
"..."
"I don't think I've seen you in school befo..."
"Alright, I'll stop reading. What is going on?"
"Ah...well...wha...what do you mean?"
"I'm obviously head down in a book and yet you, a fourteen year old boy who I don't know, you are nervously trying to make small talk. Are you...trying to get to know me?"
"Ah no! No! I wouldn't do that!"
"Alright, then what exactly are you doing? Talking to random girls is a hobby? You just frequent park benches when you get lonely? Maybe...maybe you just came over to talk to me because you lost a bet or something?"
"No! Nothing like that!"
"Hmm. Oh, I see why now. Are those your friends over there? The ones staring at us while snickering."
"Yeah...well...ah they are only kinda my friends."
"They dare you to do something rude to me?"
"It was a dare but not to do something rude I swear!"
"Listen, I don't know what you have planned but I'm going to give you some advice. See that blonde woman who is way too old to be climbing around the playground equipment? That's my mom. She was once one of the most powerful magical beings in all of Mewni. I believe she currently has something called diplomatic immunity so she could kill you and all your friends with no fear of prison time."
"Ah!"
"See that guy hanging from the top of the swings doing upside down sit-ups while on a phone call? That's my dad. He survived sixteen year in the most dangerous dimension that has ever existed. He's been knighted so many times he lost count and if he decided to kill you and your friends, I'm pretty sure no one would ever find the bodies."
"Wow...how can he do sit-ups like that while on a phone call?"
"He is working on some new law so eligible monsters can get food assistance based on their size. He knows a lot of big monsters. Maybe he gives the bodies to one of them?"
"Oh."
"Now that kid with my mom is just my dorky little brother. He calls himself a ninja-princess and I've seen the freak run through walls. He has the ability to kill you but he might be too much of a dork to know how to do it effectively. It would likely be a slow painful death as he tries to figure it out."
"Yup, I see him."
"As for me, I've been forced to study martial arts and various weapon combat styles since I was three. Lately I've been focusing on Judo and various Filipino sword fighting techniques. On top of that my family keeps reminding me that last week for my birthday I should have been given the most powerful magical artifact in existence but NOOO they had to go ahead and destroy it. If you didn't think that would have put me in the worst mood ever, I keep thinking about how I've been forced to live with these dorks since I was born and it's still going to be 3 more years before I can legally never see them again."
"...wow."
"Now that you know all that, I highly recommend that you tell me exactly what is going on before someone gets really-really hurt."
"Ah...so...well...I told my friends you looked pretty and they bet me $20 dollars that I couldn't sit next to you and have a conversation for five minutes. That is it, really. Please, I-I don't want to die."
"I see. Is this something you have done before?"
"No-no not ever. I get too nervous to talk to...well...I'm really nervous right now."
"If you are telling the truth, then you can relax and maybe we can strike a deal."
After looking her in the eyes and giving giving a quick nod he takes a deep breath as he tries to regain his composure. "A deal?"
"Yes, a deal. You keep talking to me for another 3 minutes and I'll act interested. I'll even put my hand on your side of the bench. However, once you get your $20 you come back here and give me $19 of it."
"Wait, that's not fair?"
"Or you annoy me until I remove your spleen and walk away. You want to make a dollar or not?"
"Ah...I guess when you put it that way."
"Great. Sounds like we have a deal. Now that we have all that settled, what do you want to talk about for three minutes?"
"Ah...well...I don't know. How about, what are you reading?"
"This? 'Laws and Theories of the Multiverse, Second Edition'. I got it for my birthday and the subject really interests me. Have you studied the multiverse?"
"No not at all. What...what is the multiverse?"
"Imagine a near infinite number of realities similar to our world today but all slightly different. The current theory I am reading about is that in realities there are two types of events, critical and mundane. Critical events are important and basically happen in all realities. Mundane events can be different in each reality and don't normally change anything. However based on the number and size of mundane events they can completely change the nature and impact of a critical event. Make sense?"
"Well...no. Can you help me understand with some examples?"
"Let's say you and I meeting here is a critical event. It is shaped by all of the mundane events that took place before it. Maybe in one reality the fact that you brushed your hair and teeth this morning meant that this critical event would turn into you and I falling in love, we have a handful of kids, and we live happily ever after."
"Aaaaaaah...really!?"
"Yup, and then in another reality you forgot to brush your hair and teeth. That turns this critical event into me deciding, since I'm the queen of the Underworld, that I should painfully consume your soul."
"Oh! I'm sure glad I always brush my hair and teeth in the mornings. But-ah...you aren't actually the queen of...
"No I'm not. I'm sure I am in some other reality but not this one. There used to be a being who managed the multiverse and he could show you who you are in all the different realities. I wish he could have shown me in what reality I'm queen of the Underworld. Sadly I'm never going to meet him now."
"Why? What happened?"
"My mom killed him."
"Wow."
"Yeah, my parents kind of suck."
"So in our reality what does actually happen here with us?"
"Likely it is NOT a critical event, you just give me $19, and we never see each other again."
"I have to say, my coming over here didn't work out at all like I thought it might. Y-you are not what I expected."
"It was likely best that you learn this now."
"But...but...you are really pretty. I wasn't lying about that."
"Thanks."
"This is going to sound weird but I'm glad I came over to talk to you. You seem really deep, that is also kinda nice."
"You must be a glass half-full type of person. However, you don't need to keep giving me compliments if you don't want to. I think you've already hit your five minutes. Why don't you go collect our winnings."
"Can I ask you a question first?"
"Shoot."
"If your family is so good at killing people are your parents like...assassins?"
"Way worse."
"Worse?"
"Politicians."
"Oh wow."
"I know, right!"
"I'll go get that money and come right back. Don't go anywhere!"
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Minutes later.
"They only had a twenty dollar bill and I don't have any change on me. Why don't you just keep it."
"I figured that might happen. Here, I have a dollar I can give you."
"Thanks. I know I likely won't see you again but it was nice meeting you."
"I wrote my number on that dollar. We just moved back to Echo Creek recently and I now have some money I wouldn't mind spending on pizza."
"Hey, there is a great pizza place three blocks from here you should try! It is down..."
"STOP! What I am saying is call me at that number so you and I can go out for pizza sometime...bu-but only if you want to."
"Oh. OH! Yes! I can do that!"
"Remember, this is just pizza. Every member of my family is capable of hunting you down and killing you in your sleep so don't even think about any funny business."
"Got it. No funny business, just pizza. I-I'll call you tonight. Ah, my friends are leaving now so..."
"You have to run?"
"Yup, gotta run!"
* Wave *
* Wave *
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'Just a practice date. Just practice. Kind of wish I was the queen of the Underworld right now. Oh corn, I hope mom didn't see him! She is SO going to start shipping us and I didn't even get his name.'
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I'm planning on a few more stories with these two but likely not for awhile. I hope folks out there find these fun and/or interesting. If you do please let me know. Thanks. - Olin