Starco vs Parenthood Introduction - All of these chapters can be read separately but they are connected. It's always the same Star & Marco, same kids, same world.

May 12th, happy Starco Day! Seems my town didn't have enough money in the budget this year for a Starco Day parade so to make up for it I'm posting this chapter. If you're reading this after Starco Day that's fine. When you think about it, every day can be Starco Day if you rewatch the right episode. This story starts about 5 months after Cleaved. Star is 15 and Marco 16. Both are well into the first Cleaved school year. He is a freshman taking five classes at Echo Creek Community College while she is officially still a high school junior.

Favs, reviews, and constructive feedback are all really helpful. Thanks! (It's all part of the Starco celebration.)

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Chapter 23 - I Love You

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In a rundown Echo Creek warehouse, an all-ages dance club is marking it's one week anniversary with a free admission night. While Major Lazer's 'Hold the Line' echoes off the walls, our young couple walks out onto the dance floor hand-in-hand. The room is filled with several groups of students, both high school and college. However, not everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.

"Come on Marco! If she doesn't show up in thirty minutes we can go. Pony said she would try to make it. Until then I want to get meh-dance-on! Oldies night, oh yeah! Shake-it Diaz!"

"This place makes me miss the Bounce Lounge...mostly because it's just so sad in here. It's like they aren't even trying. Most of the lights don't work. The bar is made out of old barrels and wooden pallets. Seriously Star, this place is a total dump. Listen...do you hear that? It's the noise of my shoes sticking to the floor."

"I'm only hearing music Marcooo!"

"Well, the acoustics are weird in here but I guess the sound system is fine."

"How much more do you need? Come on! Less complaining, more daaaancing!"

"You know, I don't even think these lyrics are all-ages appropriate. Are you sure this is what you want to do tonight Star? It's not too late to catch a movie. Actually, I picked up some SAT study guides for you yesterday. What if we went home and started going over one? It's never too early to start getting you prepared for college."

"Did you really have to bring up school? I know...I totally know, you want me to get all smart and be a 'better' person but -maybe- that's not what this former princess is cut out for Marco. Come on, we've been over this before. I'm not mad at you but PLEASE, let it drop tonight and dance with me."

"Star, now that I've met a bunch of college students I know that you're smart enough to be there. It's going to require some work to get you the foundation you need but you're exceptional in so many ways. I know that when you get there you're going to do great."

"For realz, I'm exceptional?"

"Yes, exceptional and you know I'm only thinking about this because I want what's best for you."

Star let out a sigh. "Listen Sir Dorko, we spent two hours at your college sports ball game, that I totally didn't care about, just to watch a bunch of crybaby students get all upset because some guy on their team forgot how to kick a ball straight. If you open your eyes Marco you'll see that a bunch of those same college crybabies are here now trying to have fun. If you want me to act more like a college student then I SHOULD be dancing and the only person I want to be grooving with is Y-O-U. Plus youuuuuuu owe me clubbing."

"Owe you? You said we could head home after the game if I wanted."

"And what did you say after?"

"...I said I should be fine with going out."

"Funny, I was thinking that I was being nice when I asked if you were good for dancing. I also remembered some words in my head that go something like, 'I Marco Diaz shall henceforth be your royal dork. To stay by your side in times of peace and dorkiness, to be your most trusted dork and advisor, AND to go clubbing with you even when I'm being a dork and acting all...all...all dorky.'"

"Hmph."

"Hey, you're the one who took the oath. I was nice and gave you a chance to get out of it but we're here now so you're totally stuck with me. Come on, if you just relax a little I bet we'll both have fun. Please listen to your -exceptional- girlfriend."

"Yeah...well, I guess you're right. I do usually enjoy our adventures and this is kind of like an adventure. How about I get us something to drink while we're waiting for Pony."

"Fancy frozen slushy drink for me please! Make sure it has lots of fruit in it. Pineapple or ogg-berries if they have them!"

"Star, I'm not getting anything from that bar that doesn't come in a sealed container."

"FINE...ginger ale."

"Love you. Be right back."

"Thank you honey-bunny! I'll have a kiss here waiting for you!" The young woman let out another long sigh. "-I'm Marco Diaz and I used to drink puddle water in the Neverzone but now I'm a grumpy pants who's afraid of dirty bar cooties.-" She took a deep breath to calm herself. "My beautiful, caring, always thinking about me super-dork. What am I going to do with you?"

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As Star talks to herself Marco weaves his way toward the bar while taking mental notes of the severity of all the health code violations. Once he is out of sight Die Antwoord's 'Baby's on Fire' comes on and Star's full attention turns to a well practiced set of energy filled dance moves. Not even twenty seconds into the song she catches sight of a college age man, easily twice her size, sliding up next to her.

"HEY."

"Hi."

"I LOVE YOU."

"Ah...okay."

"YOU MEWMAN?"

"Does your shirt seriously say 'I Eat Puss...'?"

"YEAH, YOU KNOW IT BABE. I KNOW WHAT MEWMAN BABES LIKE."

"You know we just want to be left alone right?"

"YOU'RE FUNNY! I GOT REAL HUMAN MONEY BABE AND YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY, ONCE YOU TRY HUMAN YOU NEVER GO BACK TO MEWMAN."

"Seriously? Someone actually said that?"

"COME ON BABE, I LOVE YOU. COME HOME WITH ME."

"I'll tell you nicely just this once since I don't think you know who I am. NO! Okay-BYEEEE!"

"BABE-BABE! DON'T BE ALL LIKE THAT!"

"Listen buddy! I might not have magic but I can still kick your butt before my boyfriend gets here. Then when he finds out that you won't leave me alone, he'll kick your butt too!"

"NICE! I LIKE MEWMAN FIRECRACKERS! COME ON BABE, CALL ME DADDY. YOU KNOW I CAN TAKE CARE OF YOU."

"Hey Star, I just got us a water. It was the only thing they had that was bottled. While I was paying for it I think I caught them reusing plastic cups without washing them. Ah...Leo?"

"LITTLE HOODIE! I'M JUST GETTING THIS MEWMAN BABE TO COME HOME WITH ME IF YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING. WE SHOULD GET YOU ONE TOO, THEY CAN'T RESIST US HUMANS."

"Marco, you know this guy?"

"Yeah, we have English together at the community college. He was my study partner when we read The Painted Bird."

"GREAT BOOK! THIS BABE ENDS UP WITH A GOAT. I'M SURE YOU MEWMAN GIRLS KNOW ALL ABOUT THAT."

"Whoa, Leo! First off the book was about the horrors of war on innocent youth, we talked about that in class. Second, you should never EVER imply that a Mewman and a farm animal are in any sort of physical relationship. Third, why in the world would you wear a t-shirt like that? But more important then everything else, this is MY girlfriend!"

"Marco, is this guy on something? He didn't try to touch me or anything but if he doesn't stop talking to me like this I'm going to Warnicorn Stampede him with my fists."

"LITTLE HOODIE I'LL JUST BORROW HER FOR THE NIGHT, ALTHOUGH YOU MIGHT NOT WANT HER BACK AFTER I'M DONE. SHE MIGHT NOT WANT YOU BACK EITHER IF YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING. I LOVE HER."

"I just wanted to dance tonight but if he says he loves me one more time, so help me!"

"Look Leo, you might love her but you have to believe me, I love her a whole lot more. I think you should leave now. Come on, if you want we can sit for a few minutes and maybe I can help you get a ride home."

"HEY HOODIE, WE SHOULD GO OVER THERE?"

"Where? Yeah we can-gOOOUFF!" With the former knight looking in the other direction a solid fist strikes him in the side of the head.

"DOWN GOES THE HOODIE. OLDEST TRICK IN THE BOOK. COME ON FIRECRACKER, I LOVE YOU. YOU COME HOME WITH ME."

"MARCO!? Why you! AAAARRRGGHH!"

With Marco laid out on the floor from the unexpected punch, Star unleashes an astonishing array of blows all perfectly timed to the music's climax. Unable to stay on his feet, Leo falls over into a rather large group of college sports-ball fans who decide to assist Star in the beating. Before the song has ended the fighting has grown into a mad riot of kicks, fists, and broken chairs scattered all across the dance floor.

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Forcing his eyes to open, Marco finds himself nuzzled up to a glowing six armed Star in a familiar pig-goat barn back on Mewni. Across the floor and halfway up the walls glowing golden orbs fill every square inch.

"Marcooo...Marcooo...Marcooo. Hi. I'm sooo glad you're finally awake."

"Hey Star. Wow, y-you look amazing. I love seeing your wings, they're so beautiful. But why are you in butterfly form? What are we doing back in the pig-goat barn?"

The young woman giggles before replying. "You silly, don't you remember? In the magic, you told me that you loved me."

"I did? I did. I do. All of me loves you, it's the whole Marco. B-but I know it's in the way."

"In the way? Why would it be in the way? I want you to love me...because I love you. Marco, your love will never be in the way."

"Star, you have no idea how happy hearing that makes me."

The former princess smiles wide at her boyfriend. "You know Marco, in the magic you also told me that you wanted a thousand babies."

"Wow, I did? Hey, you're right I did! But Star, that's like ten babies a year for a hundred years. Having that many babies would be in the way."

"Marco, why would they have to be in the way? They wouldn't be in the way if we both wanted them."

"Star, what's with all the glowing balls everywhere around us? This place looks filled with them."

"This is our barn now Marco. Those are our eggs."

"But what are the eggs for?"

She giggles yet again. "Marco-Marco-Marco. Don't you remember when we kissed in the booth? That's all it took. I've been saving our babies until you told me that you wanted them. Now we have to keep them warm until they hatch."

"Wow, just from our first kiss. So do we have a thousand babies now?"

"Oh course, it's what you wanted."

"Star, are those butterfly eggs or magic unicorn eggs or hu-muman eggs?"

"I don't know. What do you want them to be?"

"I-I don't know. Hu-muman I guess but a thousand babies is a big commitment. Each baby might need a thousand diapers or more. That's a lot of messes to clean up."

"Two thousand diapers is a lot but why would they need to be in the way?"

"Star, that's a million diapers. I guess it doesn't have to be in the way b-but I'd still love you even if we don't have a thousand babies."

"Marco, you also said that you want me to go to college and you want me to make the world a better place and you want me to fold my own laundry and you want me to clean my side of the room and you want me to learn to cook and you can't imagine a world without me. You said that you want me to be a good influence on Mariposa. You want our parents to be proud of me and you want me to start talking to a therapist so I can get help dealing with all my mom issues. You want me to wear my red Blood Moon Ball dress whenever we go somewhere really special and you want me to be impressed when you play cool jazz. You want me to help you get your Neverzone body back and I can tell that you want me to never make mistakes. But most importantly, you want me to act like I'm happy for ever and ever and ever. I'm going to do all these things Marco because I don't want them to be in the way. I want you to love me...because I love you."

"But I do love you Star, just the way you are. You're not changing just for me are you?"

"Sorry Marco, I have to go to class now so I can get good grades and get into college. That way we can be together all the time again. After that I have to clean our room and then make a thousand dinners. You stay here with our eggs and call me when they hatch. I have to go change who I am because I want you to love me. I don't want who I am to be in the way. I want you to love me...because I love you."

"NO STAR! I only want you to be happy-happy, not some pretend happy! That's what I want! If I've asked you to change it's because I think it'll make you happy too! I-I don't want you to stop being you! I don't want you to make changes that are going to make you miserable!"

"But Marco, everything you've been telling me makes me think that me being me is in the way. Why do I have to be in the way?"

"No Star! I love you just the way you are! I'm sorry if I said you needed to change or if I acted like I was trying to change you! Please don't change! Or change if you want but please don't change just for me!"

"Are you sure? I want you to love me...because I love you."

"You don't have to change Star. I don't think who you are is in the way. Who you are will never be in the way. I love you Star. I love you Star."

"Okay, can we kiss?"

"Uhh...please."

"Mmmmm..."
"Mmmmm..."

As their lips meet the glowing eggs begin to change. Within each one the face of a baby millhorse slowly appears and they all stare intently at Star and Marco even after their kiss has ended.

"I think we have an audi-bulance."

"An audience?"

"No, an ambulance. Marco? Marco! You're awake! Do you hear me!?"

"Where are we?"

"We're in the back of an ambulance. Oh my corn, you had me so worried!"

"Hey. You're a beautiful Star too."

"Marco, just stay with me." The young woman used her sleeve to wipe her eyes. "I need you to focus on my face the best you can. They said you had a bad concussion and we are going to the hospital to make sure you're okay."

"Why are their tears in your eyes? I-I thought we were in the pig-goat barn talking about our babies and-and..."

"Our babies!?" Although still upset Star smiled and shook her head."I wish we were Marco. Just stay focused on me for now, we'll talk about having babies some other time. Maybe when we're a little older." She sniffled slightly. "I can't believe you fell for what that guy did. I haven't seen your karate moves in action for months and you were just going to help that jerk get a ride home?"

"I remember now. He sits next to me in class and he's always an ass. But tonight...tonight he took assyness to a whole new level. I'd like to say more about how amazing you look but my head is really starting to hurt."

"Please stay focused on me if you can. You were totally out for a while there. Then when you got up and started walking around nothing you were saying was making any sense."

"Star?"

While staring into his eye she used her hand to try stopping her remaining tears."Yeah?"

"Don't change for me...ever. Only change for yourself. Promise me right now that you'll do that?"

"Only change for myself? Sure Sir Dorko, I can promise that. How about you just worry about you for right now."

"No, I'm going to worry about you. I'm always going to worry about you. I love you and I shouldn't be putting so much pressure on you."

"Marco, it's fine. I know you do it because you care. It does make me happy knowing that you have so much faith in me."

"But I still shouldn't pressure you, it's not fair. Also you're right, a million diapers might get in the way but we'll totally make it work."

"Diapers?"

"So how long until the eggs hatch? I'm going to love all of our babies the same way I love you. We'll just need to figure out where to keep them, I don't want the kids growing up in a barn. Maybe we could get a really big apartment?"

A smirk formed on her face. "Sure. I'm glad you love me and the kids. We love you too."

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Ms. Diaz arrives at the emergency room while our teenage couple is still waiting to be seen. After a few tests and even more waiting Marco is prescribed forty eight hours with no strenuous activities, physical or mental.

Later that night, back at home, Angie does one last check on Mariposa before lightly tapping on her son's bedroom door. Once Star tells her to come in Angie sees Marco in his bed fast asleep under the blankets. Meanwhile Star sits on top of the covers near his feet casually reviewing a softcover workbook.

"Hey Star. How is our little adventurer doing?"

"I think he is going to be fine after getting some more rest. I helped him shower and tucked him in to make sure he gets a good long sleep. It was weird, he had all this sticky stuff from the floor of the club in his hair so it took forever to get him all cleaned up."

"You helped?"

"He was tired so yeah, I tried to help. Oh! Not help-helped! I just talked to him to keep him company and picked out jammies for him. Totally-totally-totally didn't help-help."

"I'm teasing, I figured that is what you meant. Well, thank you for only helping. I have to say, he looks very peaceful when he's asleep. Most of the time he looks all grown up but when he's asleep I can still see glimpses of when he was my little boy."

Star smiled at her best friend's mom. "I don't know about being a little boy but he does look peaceful. Angie, did I do the right thing calling you instead of taking care of him myself? I feel bad that I ruined your night."

"Calling so I could meet you at the hospital was the right thing to do. However, I could use a few less emergency calls about my son's health. Seems I'm getting one every six months now."

"It must be hard being a parent and getting a call like that. Sorry for the times when I've been the reason for something bad happening. Tonight was crazy because of this guy Marco was trying to help out. Totally not my fault this time."

"It is hard being a parent and seeing one of your children get hurt. I'm just thankful that you were there to protect him. On the other hand, there are lots of nice things about being a parent too. For example, it feels really good when you see that your children are happy. I should thank you for that too."

"Angie, I've started looking over this college study guide that Marco got me because...you know...he wants me all -prepared for the future- or something dorky like that. Anyways, one of the study words is 'dowry'. I wanted to know, just TOTALLY hypothetical, if Marco was going to get married would you and Rafael need to give his future wife's family a dowry? Cause that really doesn't seem fair at all. You'd be losing a son and I bet a dowry costs a lot more than six hundred and fifty dollars. Plus Marco is really awesome so whoever he married should be really happy just to have him even without a dowry."

"There are some Earth cultures where a dowry is part of their marriage tradition but it's not one we follow. Actually, I don't think I know of any families who have set up a dowry for their kids. I think whoever Marco marries won't need to worry about that at all."

"Great cause I was starting to get worried. Well...I mean not for me. I-I was getting worried for this princess I know who likes Marco. I mean not your Marco, a completely different Marco. One who TOTALLY doesn't live anywhere near here."

"And a completely different princess?"

"Yeah...ah...Princess Arms. Once she met your Marco she had to have one of her own."

"I try not to pry but does this Princess Arms love her Marco?"

"...well yeah. But not in a crazy way. It's not like she can't live without him because she's a rebel princess who would be totally fine being on her own. She...she just doesn't want to imagine a future where he's not part of it. Does that make sense?"

"Sounds like Princess Arms loves him a lot. Is there anything else this other princess might want to talk to me about?"

"I'm sure if she thought about it there would be a bunch of things. Should she try to go to college with her Marco? What happens when she and her Marco are no longer teenagers? When I think about it, there are thousands of questions she could come up with. Normally it's just her Marco who does all the worrying but sometimes she does a little too."

"Sounds like she has a lot on her mind. It must be tough being Princess Arms."

"Super tough. All these thoughts plus having to live with four arms. I'm not a princess anymore but I can totally relate to her since I used to have six arms when I would go all butterfly. You know, maybe there is a direct correlation between the number of arms you have and your feelings toward boys named Marco? 'Correlation' was another one of those words from that study book."

"Well, being a mom of a Marco, my only worry would be that this Princess Arms might be rushing into things a bit too quickly. It sounds like she is pretty young and she went from dating a demon prince to a Marco just a few months ago. Maybe this princess and her Marco should just enjoy being teenagers for a little while and not think too much about dowries, the future beyond high school for her, or college for him. What do you think?"

"Yeah...yeah you're right. Now that I think about it, her brain is jumping way ahead like a total bogbeast. Sorry to bother you with all this. Tonight Princess Arms got all thinking about the future because her Marco was talking about their babies and how are they going to take care of them."

"YOU'RE HAVING A BABY!?"

"Oh...oh...no...no...no-no-no-no. Not baby-baby...butterfly egg babies...he had a dream...we've never, I mean they've never...he said we...ah...they had a thousand of them...dream egg kids...lots of diapers. I mean, I don't even think Marco knows how mumans work if he thinks I could just drop a thousand eggs on the floor of a barn!"

Angie started taking deep breaths as she tried to calm herself down. "Sorry! I can handle a lot but I really wasn't ready for that one. Not real kids, got it. Whew...you two are growing up so fast. Anyway, back to Princess Arms. Sounds like this princess and her Marco have a LOT to talk about. Just make sure that the two of them don't rush into anything. Having a kid at Princess Arms' age would definitely upset their parents and make their lives a LOT more complicated than it is now."

"Got it. She totally knows that but I'll still have a LONG talk with her about it the next time I see her."

"I feel a sudden headache coming on so I'm going to go take something for it. You think you're good for tonight?"

"Awesomely good. Thank you for talking to me, really."

"You're welcome hun. Have a good night and thank you again for taking care of our little adventurer."

"Good night."

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Once the door has closed Star puts the study guide on Marco's desk before turning off the lights. Next she opens the curtains slightly to let in some moonlight. As she does most nights, Star checks to make sure none of the moons are bloodish. Turning back to the rest of the room she ignores the air mattress on the floor and climbs into Marco's bed while wrapping an arm around him. Once settled she places her left hand on top of his while tangling their fingers together.

"You better not have been fake sleeping this whole time."

* Snore *

"Hmm, good. I still can't believe you and your daydream. I guess I should be happy that even when you're not conscious you still want to be with me. You know, there is one thing that your dream did do."

* Snore *

"It again convinced me, I'm not letting go of you Mr. Diaz. I hope you're prepared for that. That first month together was crappy because of all the crazy Cleaved stuff going on but overall being with you has been awesome."

* Snore *

"You know, for a long time now you've said that you're going to be my best friend forever. If anyone else said that to me I wouldn't believe them. But you, everyday you just keep proving how much you mean it. You understand what I'm saying?"

* Snore *

"Exactly but I do think your mom is right. We shouldn't think too hard about the future yet. But maybe...maybe it's time to plan just a teeny tiny bit. I vote that we keep being normal teenagers and if I keep my grades up, I'll go to college with you."

* Snore *

"I mean how hard can it really be if that Leo guy could get in, right? You just have to promise that you'll keep helping me. If we WERE going to plan anything else for the future we could talk about...well...I mean if we're already talking about being together forever..."

Star stops briefly to look at their entwined fingers. In the moonlight she notices that a lock of her hair is caught around their third digits. The golden strands reflect the light just enough to make it look like they are wearing matching rings.

* Snore *

"...we should just be thinking about getting me into college...yeah, totally-totally-totally just college. Not thinking about anything else. I mean, what else could I possibly be thinking about? Good night honey-bunny." While leaning over she placed a quick kiss on the cheek. "I love you."

In the darkness Star lies awake, deep in thought. Eventually she places her hand on her boyfriend's chest and starts focusing on the slow rhythmic beating of his heart. Soon afterward she is completely asleep.

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Relationships can get complex, even for cartoon characters and it's easy to try to change people without even realizing it. Anyway, this is just another one of those stories built off of a few ideas rolled up together. Hopefully you enjoyed it. At worst, I hope it was different than anything else you read on Starco Day.

Side note, my real life Star didn't like the real life inspiration for Leo either. As for the t-shirt, I saw someone wearing one just like that the other week while I was doing some volunteering. Seriously, I don't get people.

Happy Starco Day. - Olin

NightAroma - I figured I'd repeat it here for anyone that might read the comments. There is a plotline lurking behind all this.

Ngame - Thanks again with the idea of expanding this. I'm glad I did.

A few important notes. With summer right around the corner I'll be slowing down on the writing of this series. Part of it is the summer schedule but there are other reasons. I still have a number of seed ideas and I 100% plan to wrap up the underlying story arc. However, you should expect a longer pause between updates. Once I wrap up that arc I'll likely park this series and hope that readers in the future find it enjoyable. I originally started writing because I wanted to see more stories like this and at the time there are only a few out there that I thought were worth reading. Hopefully this inspires other to write more.

So what am I going to do this summer? I'm going to take a stab at writing a multi-chapter SVTFOE saga in the style of the more popular stories out there. Right now I'm in the outline stage but my plan is to write the whole book before releasing chapters on a regular schedule. Nothing worse than getting half-way through a story and then the author stops. It'll be in a more traditional style but still focus on dialogue over the reader being told what the characters are thinking. - Olin

* EDIT: This multi-chapter story became 'Operation Starco'. Click on my profile to check it out. *