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 is set about 7 years after Cleaved, just a few months after Star and Marco's first child was born. They would both be 22. I figured it is important to do some world building.

Favs, reviews, and constructive feedback are all really helpful. Thanks!

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Chapter 12 - World Building

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Star and Eclipsa sit at a table in the rose garden of the mostly restored Butterfly Castle preparing to eat their lunch.

~ Space Unicorns ~

"Hold on, it's Marco calling...Hi honey!"

"… …"

"Yup, I'm here with Eclipsa. First thing I did was give her all the baby details and now I just finished explaining the evils of the Earther torture device known as the breast pump."

"…"

"The baby is with your parents so I'm a free woman for a few hours. They also invited me to stay through the weekend so I might show our little pumpkin off to our old friends before heading back to the city."

"… … …"

"Listen I want to hear all about the convention. How about I call you tonight and we can go over all the details?"

"…"

"Sounds good! MISS YOU! LOVE YOU!"

* Click *

"Marco says 'Hi'. Sounds like he is working himself to death...again. Anyway, breast pumps. Who on Earth came up with the idea of making those?"

"Those Earthers. They do spend a lot of time coming up with ways to torture themselves. Just last week I saw my first human lady's doctor and she wanted to scrape out a small bit of my inside parts for some sort of test. The things they come up with!"

"Oh, I know what you're talking about. We went over that in health class, sure they can detect cancer but at the same time classic Earther torture procedure." The young blonde mother takes a sip of her drink. "Mmm...this tea is good. So, other than doctor's visits what else is new in Eclipsa's world?"

"Normal same-old same-old but we have been talking about you a lot dear. Seems like just yesterday you were that teenage girl I met in here the rose guard. Remember how upset you were because some boy followed you home from Earth? Now you're married to him and I see this beautiful young woman in front of me. It has been such a joy to watch you grow up and that little baby sounds like an absolute delight. However, now that I've had the full baby update maybe you and I should talk about why I really wanted to meet with you for lunch today."

"Give me three guesses. Ribbon cutting ceremony? High school graduation speech? My mom being a pain again?"

"Sorry sweetie, none of those exactly. First thing I want to talk to you about is your master's thesis. Marco has been sharing the working versions with me and I must say, it is really coming along. Yet another example of the greatness you two can accomplish when you work together."

"Just to be clear, it's Marco's master thesis. Sure we have worked together on parts of it but the plan is totally his baby. No masters for me! I have a year left just to finish my bachelors degree and that is it."

"Just his you say? Star, I find it hard to believe that you weren't deeply involved. In his messages Marco has always stressed how much work you've personally put into this Mewni-Earth Integration Plan."

"Well...maybe I should get some credit but he should get most of it. Sure, I've reviewed those 230 steps with him maybe a million times and you have no idea how often I've heard, 'Hey Star, should we push the monster job protection laws before or after the one-being one vote initiative? When do we introduce exceptions so two-headed monsters get two votes?' I guess looking back, we really have been going over every detail together. While pregnant I was running the focus groups, helping with editing, and I was able to convince the whole political science department to assist us with the last three drafts. I even interviewed a bunch of former White House officials. They ended up being a huge help. BUT even with all that, totally his baby. He did way more work on it then I did."

"Well I might think otherwise. I have to tell you, just last night I reread some sections and I'm not too proud to admit, there are more than a few steps that I still don't understand."

"I know, it took me forever to wrap my head around that Puerto Rico and New Mewni need to become states at the same time in order to preserve the balance between liberal and conservative senators. Otherwise statehood would never get the required votes in either legislative branch."

"Riiiiight."

"Once I understood that steps 103 and 178 to 191 totally made sense."

"Yes, well...like I said I still don't get all parts but I've shared the plan with a few other people whom I trust and they all said the same thing. It is brilliant!"

"Aww, Marco is going to be so happy to hear that. You should have seen his face when he heard you and mom are moving Greater Mewni toward a unified constitutional duo-archy. It is totally like you are getting everything ready for...wait are you actually thinking about USING THE PLAN!?."

"Star, that is exactly why I wanted to talk. You see there is a slight problem."

"...oh...problem?"

"Yes sweetie. You see the plan would be a mistake…"

"Mistake? MISTAKE!? DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH WORK HAS GONE INTO THOSE DOCUMENTS!? He started working on the initial drafts his first year of college and switched to a political science major JUST because he hoped some small part of it would be useful."

"Star..."

"Over five years of research, meeting lawmakers, working with grassroot organizations, he has been talking to people and monsters all over the WORLD to make this the best plan possible!"

"Star..."

"Maybe my contributions haven't been perfect but the LAST thing I would call any of Marco's parts is a MISTAKE! YOU KNOW AS WELL AS I DO THAT WHEN MARCO PUTS A PLAN TOGETHER HE DOESN'T MAKE ANY MISTAKES!"

"STAR! Marco's and your plan would be a mistake...without having you and Marco implementing it."

"...oooooh...wait...what are you saying?"

"I'd like to offer both you and Marco jobs once you've graduated. I want you to start implementing the plan."

"...r-really?"

"Star, I have no doubt that getting you both on team Mewni may be one of my greatest acts as queen. Of course I am assuming that you both don't already have something lined up. Now that I think of it I'm sure you are both getting a number of job offers and we might not even be on the top of your list."

"Eclipsa, you…" Star nearly knocks over the table as she jumps up to grab Eclipsa.

"Awww sweetie, you don't need to hug me...so...tig-ht!"

"Yes...yes I do. This is the greatest news...greatest. *Sniff.* Marco was thinking he might have to take a job on Trash Island after graduation just so we can pay the bills."

"Trash Island? Well I think we can offer him something better than that."

"He is going to be so excited! Sooo what exactly would we be doing? You do know that Marco has a few months left? "

"Yes, I am fully aware. For Marco, I don't have an exact title picked but I'd likely be fine with whatever he wants. He would just be part of my council and be responsible for making progress on the plan. I'd assume he would end up forming a whole department focused on implementing it."

"That sounds perfect!"

"As for you, we'll wait for you to finish school and then I'd like you to join the team as the official lead Mewni ambassador to the rest of the world!"

"Ah, seriously!?"

"Well, Buff Frog has done an adequate job but even he admits that he is easily overwhelmed by Earth's, shall we say, nuances. He not only supports this change, he recommended it. You were wonderful as a junior ambassador back when the Cleaved happened and I've seen videos from several of your recent speaking engagements. I must say, you are very inspiring!"

"Eclipsa, I'm glad you like what I've done but are you SURE you want me? My GPA is kind of GP-blagh."

"Just focus on graduating and being a good new mom for now. Lucky for you I don't even know what a GPA is! Is that one of those Earth games where you're a bad guy driving fast cars and shoot people? Pew Pew!"

"No, I think that is GTA. Buuuut Eclipsa...I really can't accept a job like that. Real ambassadors have masters degrees and years of experience. Or sometimes they are former politicians who again have years of experience. Sure I aced my public speaking classes but I'm just barely passing overall. There has to be a long list of mewmans and monsters who are more qualified then I'll ever be for a job like that. If I went from just barely graduating college to a position like ambassador...I...I wouldn't have earned it. It's just going to look like nepotism. Really it's a HUGE stretch to say a few good speeches and summers traveling with Marco as 'junior ambassadors' is anything close to being qualified for the real thing. I mean when you think about it, how would I be taken seriously as a Mewni official when who my parents are is likely the biggest reason for it being offered to me?"

"Star, it might finally be time to fill you in on what has actually been happening with the kingdom since the Cleave. We may have been hiding a few details from you and the general public."

"Actually happening...fill me in...Eclipsa, what have you been hiding!?"

"Star, your mother and I decided to protect you from a few shall we say 'situations' so you could focus on growing up. And when I say 'growing up' I am in no way implying that you weren't mature from fifteen to now. If anything you were much more mature than I ever was at those ages. It's just we saw how you and Marco needed time together and we both knew that being successful in Earth society requires many more years of education then what Mewni society requires. To make a long story short, we wanted to wait until you were done with your schooling before dragging you back into this mess we call running a kingdom. But now that you are close to graduating, it is finally time to pull back the curtain a bit."

"Okay. So what exactly is behind this curtain?"

"Well, after the Cleave your mother and I gathered all the other kings and queens together and had a meeting with several of America's state and federal officials. We had you and Marco attend the part where we signed treaties and exchanged goodwill. However, behind the curtain those officials explained the reality of our kingdom being dropped into a nation armed with tanks, aircraft, and rockets that can destroy whole cities. Even with magic and 10,000 Solorian warriors I don't think we could stand up to what was shown to us. Worst yet, they explained how any trained person with a gun could kill an individual from almost a mile away. That fact frightened quite a few of the nobility. Fear of reprisals from former subjects is the primary reason why a number of them abdicated that first year."

"Yeah, Earther weapons are pretty terrifying."

"When we Cleaved, even if all mewmans and monsters were completely unified, we would not have stood a chance against the humans. Being completely outnumbered, militarily outclassed, and even educationally behind them we had only two options. Dissolve everything that was Old Mewni with the hopes that humans would absorb us into their culture without incident. Or unite mewmans and monsters together as New Mewni and try to peacefully carve out our own place in this new world."

"I think everyone is glad you took the second option."

"Yes, but to pull that off your mother and I had to compromise in order to get everyone's support. Thus the reign of two queens began. I know you've talked about your mother squirrelling her way back into power but it was really me trying to unite all mewmans and monsters once and for all."

"Again, I knew most of this part."

"Then what you might not have known, another part of making this integration work required that we bring monsters into all levels of government and this has caused issues. Not prejudice issues but, issues with...well...performance."

"Performance?"

"Star, most monsters still can't read and the few who can are lost when it comes to understanding the legal documents needed to run a bureaucracy. Truth be told, even I have trouble with legal documents and I've had some education. Monsters were never educated before the Cleave and we are still paying for it. Sadly, mewmans on average are only educated a level or two above the average monster. Not only has it caused New Mewni to run an incompetent government, the kingdom is losing money because of massive inefficiencies."

"I guess I didn't know that part."

"Star, you might doubt your education or your experience but to put it bluntly, you are the most educated mewman I can put in a predeciduous government position and ensure we have support from all monster parties. You're the only mewman they respect and trust."

"Wow...I never knew. But wait, mewmans ran the kingdom before the Cleave. Why didn't you just keep running the government with the same people?"

"Ah, I almost forgot about the corporate sponsorships! A number of Earth based corporations helped us recover from the Cleave with goods, resources, and free education. At first we thought it was just goodwill but evidently we were just seen as a new 'untapped market'. We knew that they would be pushing us to buy Earth based goods. However, what we did not not understand is that those same corporations would lurer away our brightest and hardest working individuals with salaries and benefits New Mewni couldn't compete with."

"Yeah, regional brain drain. We've talked about that in a few of our public policy classes."

"As I said, we don't have enough qualified individuals to keep making New Mewni work. If anything we've just gotten lucky that we've kept it together this long. So Star, please finish school and come work for us. If you are concerned about being qualified, co-ambassador with Buff-Frog until you feel ready. Just trust me when I say I believe you are not only qualified, you are completely the right person for the position."

"Alright, I'll talk it over with Marco. Assuming I say yes, maybe I can start helping before I finish school."

"You're a young mother now Star. I recommend keeping your focus on the baby and finishing school first. Mewni might suffer a bit in the short term but I assure you, the long term benefits will be immense. When we do have you in the fold your focus will likely be to finish the unification of the Mewni kingdoms. Spiderbites, Johansens, Jaggy, Waterfolk, and Cloud Kingdoms have been wonderful to deal with and are mostly behind us. The Earthers however are having a hard time accepting a kingdom of pigeons and the Underworld wants to deal with the United States on their own."

"Are you still giving up on Pie Island?"

"They can go sink in the ocean for all I care. They have been no help at all."

"Yeah, Marco and I have never been fans of their politics."

"So. Is it settled that you'll take the?"

"Yeah, I think so. I want a little time to think about it but I guess maybe I'm qualified."

"Good-good! Then we only have one more bit of official business to discuss, a very important bit!"

"Wait, before we call it settled I want you to be honest with me Eclipsa. If it wasn't for monsters wanting me in the position would you want me? I understand wanting Marco because of the plan and master's degree but me?"

"Star, you do know that every version Marco has sent me of the plan lists you as the co-author. In my mind you get just as much credit as he does."

"Hmm...that must be why he always sends it out without copying me. I'm going to have a little talk with him about that tonight about being sneaky about that."

"Moving on! There is one more potential extra special surprise job offer that I need to mention. I don't know if your mother has said anything yet but sometime around the 20 year Cleaved-a-versary we are both planning on retiring. To be totally honest, your mother is sick of me but we've both agreed to stick it out together until then. According to 'The Plan' the position of queen will just be ceremonial by that point but still critically important for the cultural well being of mewman's and monsters alike."

"Meteora will be old enough by that point. Do you think she is going to need my help?"

"Yes but no. She may need help but the surprise is that we would like Meteora AND you to co-queen together like your mother and I have been doing."

"...ohhhhhhh."

"Star...you don't look as excited about this part of the surprise."

"...ahhh."

"Star! Are you alright? Your face is in your lunch!"

"No-no-no."

"Star, remember it is just cultural. You know the plan, by then we should have a governor and legislator running everything. We just think we would still need someone who is part monster and someone who is not to keep all parties unified."

"Yeah...I have to think about that one...a lot. If I said maybe would I need to be a princess again?"

"With your mom splitting queen duties with me, I actually thought that you have been a princess this whole time but you just didn't want to use the title."

"Arrrrrgh! No! As I told her when you two came up with this co-queen relationship I am not a princess! Just Star, normal everyday Star!"

"Seems I might have miscalculated this. You don't have to take the position if that is how you feel. Just think about it maybe?"

"Yeah...let me talk it over with Marco. When do you need to know?"

"Take your time sweetie. Take a few years to decide if you need to. Really there is no rush at all."

"I can almost guarantee Marco is going to want me to say yes. I just..."

"Star, I can handle the truth. I can see that you're torn by this. What is it that you are thinking about?"

"You know that I never ever wanted to be queen growing up. Well, Marco and I had a LONG talk back when he started college and I was still trying to figure out if I even wanted to finish high school. Back then I SO did not want to even go to school! However, one of his first college papers was called 'Star Butterfly - Rebel Princess to Greatest Queen in the History of Mewni'. It sounded like a joke but he actually did a good job with it, he almost convinced me even. Then his professor ended up getting it published. I got SO mad at him when I first found out and we had a big fight. Not a breakup kind of fight, more of a 'we need to pick a direction for our lives' and 'I don't know what I want to do' kind of fight. Something important came from that argument. We talked about what drives us...what...what is most important for us. For me it came down to just two things."

"Was one of them being with Marco?"

"That was number one. I should probably lump in the baby with that now."

"Was the other kicking butt in a fight?"

"That does sound like something I would pick but no. It was making the world a better place. He even said I was his hero because when I had the power to make the world a better place I did it. He says I did it when I turned over the kingdom to you, again with all the work on integrating mewmans and monsters, and then again when we destroyed the magic to stop Mina."

"Aww, he married his HERO! That is so sweet!"

"Yeah, Sir Dorko did good. I did good too. Anyway, he convinced me to at least get my bachelors degree because it offered us the best chance to keep working on this whole make-the-world-a-better-place idea. If it wasn't for that motivation and his help with classes I would have dropped out a long-long time ago. I actually copied his major just so it would be easier for him to help me. I thought after graduation I would try working for a charity or volunteer for a political movement, that was the tentative plan. Now...now you are offering me a chance to take what I learned and do even more with it."

"If you ask me you have to become co-queen now. I mean if Marco already wrote a paper about you being the greatest queen ever it's practically a prophecy at this point!"

"Yeah. I can already hear the whole conversation he and I are going to have...about three minutes in he will give me the puppy-dog-eyes and I'll end up agreeing."

"You two really are perfect for each other. I know you were seeing that boy Tom back in the day but I always wondered why you and Marco didn't get together sooner."

"Oh! Please never ever bring that up in front of Marco! Still a really sore spot with him. REALLY sore."

"Oh, sorry!"

"I'm okay with it but yeah, really sore for him."

"Well, even if you don't take the offers I'm glad you are going to consider them both."

"...yeah."

Eclipsa watched the former princesses body language and could tell she was still not happy. "Star, is there a problem with my offers?"

"Marco didn't put you up to this did he? This wasn't some plan you two put together because I've been feeling lost about what exactly to do when I'm done with school?"

"Star I assure you, everything I have been talking to you today has been on the up-and-up. From what I can gather, you are just looking for reasons why you are not ready for this. If you ask me, Star the Underestimated is underestimating herself."

"...yeah, maybe."

"While you are considering the positions, would you like another sandwich for lunch? Maybe one that you didn't plant your face into?"

"No, this one is still fine. I do want to know, IF I said yes to everything and Meteora and I are co-ceremonial queens together...should I start getting more involved in her life? I know she is eight now. Any idea what type of princess or queen she is going to be?"

"Eight going on twenty but no, we don't know yet what type of princess she'll be yet. Luckily, we believe all that Saint O's madness is well behind us. Really we are just letting her be a kid for now, no pressure. The most we've done is give her a bunch of wholesome princess themed toys to play with. We are hoping they inspire her. By the way, we heard rumors that there is a new half-monster princess doll coming out and Meteora is SO excited! We had been getting her all those Princess Turdina dolls but she keeps eating the heads off of them."

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Just like that the structure of Star and Marco's world is built. Most of these ideas actually came from the my Ever After series. It's almost like it is all the same world or something. Hmm, I wonder. Anyway, enough World Building! The next three chapters are mostly done and involve princesses, tacos, and cute little animals. Forget all this long-winded adult talk and prepare to be hit heavily with the cuteness stick! - Olin