End of the Day
Chapter 3
Jackie POV
It had been about two hours since school ended, and Marco had yet to respond to any of the messages Janna and Jackie had sent. Right now, Jackie sat on a couch opposite Janna, looking down at her phone with a concerned expression, hoping for a message from Marco. They had toyed with the idea of looking for him but thought against it; they had to take every precaution to ensure that the Princess wouldn't suspect them of being monsters. They couldn't risk calling him; they didn't want the Princess to become suspicious of them. Jackie knew Marco could be a bit slow at times, but she didn't expect him to forget about texting them. Maybe the Princess had gotten to him first, Jackie thought, using some kind of magic spell to take control of him. The more possibilities Jackie considered, the more worried she became.
"You didn't mention anything about Marco to Sabrina, right?" Janna asked, breaking the silence.
"No, all she knows is what you told her, about the princess coming to Earth," Jackie said. "As far as she knows, Marco has nothing to do with the princess."
Janna sighed. "That's good. Knowing her, she'd probably try and stop Marco and screw us all over." Janna grabbed her phone and began to make a call.
"Who are you calling?" Jackie asked.
"The demons," Janna muttered. "As much as it pains me, they deserve to know that she's here."
"No offense, though," Janna said, glancing at Jackie.
"Yeah, no worries," Jackie said, laying back on the couch, trying her best to relax. "I'm only half offended." She grinned at Janna, who snickered in response.
She let the soft couch cradle her body, trying to forget all the stress she had gone through that day. Jackie had known that Mewni would come for them eventually, but this was too early. The war was still a stalemate, so it made no sense to suddenly send out their trump card to capture some refugees. Star Butterfly was a nightmarish enigma to most of the monsters and demons, shrouded in whispers of horror. Rumors painted her as a remorseless specter, a creature as cruel as her mother and as savage as her father. She was said to be an unfeeling killing machine, an embodiment of darkness, which Jackie could confirm after finally locking eyes with her. Her gaze sent bone-chilling shivers down Jackie's spine, paralyzing her in terror. Jackie had always considered herself strong and confident, but this was the first time she had encountered such a grotesque creature. She couldn't make out anything in Star's cold, lifeless eyes—only an abyss of malevolence that seemed to devour all light. And the way she had tricked Marco to come with her, Jackie tightened her fist; she had never felt so utterly powerless.
Jackie had dedicated her entire life to rigorous training, preparing relentlessly to combat the Mewmans. She had envisioned countless scenarios, strategizing how she would outwit and overpower them. Yet, when she found herself face-to-face with a real Mewman, the reality was far more terrifying than she could have ever imagined. All her years of training seemed futile at that moment.
Her training had been grueling, consisting of combat drills, magical studies, and endless hours perfecting her skills. She had honed her abilities to near perfection, but none of it had prepared her for the sheer malevolence that radiated from Star Butterfly. It was as if all her training had been a mere illusion, and now, faced with the embodiment of darkness, she felt utterly powerless.
Jackie couldn't put into words the overwhelming dread that washed over her when she saw Star. It was a sensation of helplessness, like a small boat caught in a violent storm, at the mercy of forces beyond her control. There was no trace of humanity left in that creature. If she managed to fully master her powers, Jackie feared what kind of devastation Star Butterfly would unleash upon her new home. They needed to devise a careful strategy, to watch and observe, assessing Star Butterfly's strength and any potential reinforcements she might have. Only then could they plan an attack, and only then could Jackie hope to rescue Marco
Jackie let out a sigh, reaching over to grab a water bottle from the table. She took a sip of the cold water, her mind racing with worries about how long this situation would drag on. All she could do was hope that Marco would be fine by the end of it. She glanced over at Janna, who had just finished explaining everything on the phone.
Janna hung up the phone and dropped it on the couch. "Never heard Tom that scared before," Janna chuckled. "Well, out of all of us, he knows Star the most. He hasn't told us anything, though."
"It's a sensitive subject for him," Jackie replied. "She's the reason he hasn't been able to see his parents in years."
"At least he has parents to worry about," Janna muttered.
"Janna!" Jackie said sternly.
"I'm joking, I'm joking," Janna quickly added, raising her hands in mock surrender. "I know he's gone through stuff, but so have we."
"Stop comparing tragedies," Jackie said. "We've all been through a bunch of hardships; there's no reason to downplay other people's struggles."
"Aw, come on, I already had a tier list made and everything," Janna whined. She pointed at a half-finished tier list she had on her phone.
"God damn it, Janna," Jackie said, giving up on convincing her friend.
She knew Janna didn't mean any harm; she was just trying to lighten the mood. A knock on the door caught both of their attention. Janna walked up to the door slowly, looking through the peephole.
"Sabrina?" Janna asked.
"Yeah, it's me," Sabrina said through the door.
Janna unlocked the door and let her in.
"Welcome, welcome," Janna said, smiling and motioning to the couches. "Have a seat; we were just in the middle of finishing a tier list!"
Sabrina walked past her and settled onto the couch. "Uh-huh," Sabrina replied, uninterested. "So she ended up in your class then?" Sabrina asked, turning to Jackie.
Janna shut the door behind Sabrina and sat down on the couch. "Yup, she showed up suddenly and looked just as terrifying as the rumors," Janna said, stretching out on the couch.
Sabrina grunted, "God, I hate Mewni. Have you told the demons yet?"
"Yup, just told them right now," Janna replied. "Told them to lay low for now. I didn't have to worry about them acting up, though. Tom seemed pretty scared."
"Who isn't scared of her?" Sabrina muttered. "The bloodthirsty princess of Mewni. If she somehow managed to learn to use her wand, we're done for."
"I doubt it," Jackie said. "According to my aunt, she only got her wand a few weeks ago."
"That old lady's got spies everywhere in Mewni, huh?" Janna said.
"Only about one or two, and they're not even in high-up positions. The ceremony was public to everyone, so I'm guessing that's how they found out," Jackie replied.
"So she came to Earth to learn how to use her magic, while also being bait to lure us out," Sabrina said.
"That's the working theory right now," Janna said. "We don't know what they're going to do once they find out who we are; it's just her after all."
Sabrina scrunched her eyebrows. "Yeah, why send her precious daughter to a place she knows has a bunch of her enemies? She's either underestimating us or…" Sabrina said in thought, "She's got another plan she hasn't revealed yet."
"Even if we end up defeating her," Jackie said, "We would end up revealing ourselves. We would be no match against the entire Mewman army. If they capture us, the queen could extract information about the rest of the refugees from us. If we attack Star, we would essentially be killing innocent monsters and demons."
"And that Queen knows that," Janna said, frustration evident in her voice. "She knows we won't attack her daughter because it would spell the end for all of us." Janna threw her water bottle at the wall, splattering the remaining water across the floor. "She's swinging us around like damn puppets."
"We just have to play our cards right. The only option we have right now is to portal out," Jackie said.
"Which we can't do," Sabrina added.
Jackie nodded. "She knows that's our last resort, which means she's got some other plan involving the portals that we don't know about."
"Which means the princess is probably weak enough right now for us to take down," Janna said, her voice full of determination. "Once we figure out a workaround with the portals, we can get our hands on that princess before she—"
Janna stopped herself, glancing at Sabrina.
"Before she what?" Sabrina asked, turning to Janna with raised eyebrows.
"Uh, before she figures out how to use her magic," Janna said, giving an exaggerated wink toward Jackie.
Jackie sighed, and Sabrina turned to her, concerned. "What's going on, Jackie?" she asked.
"Oh, come on, she has to know eventually. Plus, now that there are two of us, we can probably hold her down," Janna said, smiling at Jackie.
"When the princess came here, she came as a transfer student, so..." Jackie trailed off.
Sabrina's eyes shot up in realization. "You don't mean she's staying with..."
Janna nodded, confirming her suspicions. "Yup, she's staying with Marco."
Sabrina shot up from her couch, her voice filled with urgency, "So what are we doing sitting here then?" she yelled. "How long has that Butterfly been with Marco?" She grabbed her phone, her fingers trembling as she started dialing Marco's number.
"Wait, wait," Jackie said, stretching her arm out in an attempt to reach Sabrina's arm.
Sabrina pulled away from Jackie, her eyes blazing with anger and worry. "We've waited enough. I can't believe you didn't tell me this. Marco's our friend. Who knows what that princess prick is going to do to him?"
Jackie knew she had to get through to Sabrina. She forcefully grabbed Sabrina's arms, her grip tightening with determination. "Listen to me, Sabrina," she said urgently. "We don't know if Star is currently with Marco. If she hears us intervening, Marco's going to end up in even more danger."
Sabrina stopped, looking at Jackie with desperation in her eyes. Jackie could see small tears beginning to form.
"But Marco, he's going to—" Sabrina began.
"She's not going to hurt him," Janna interjected, her voice firm. "At least not yet. Trust me, I want nothing more than to grab Marco away from that bloodthirsty killer. But right now, we're dealing with the lives of every monster and demon. We need to play this smart." Janna reached over and laid a comforting hand on Sabrina's shoulder.
Jackie let go of her grip on Sabrina's arms and reached over to gently take Sabrina's phone from her trembling hands.
"I know how you feel. We had to watch her take Marco away. We've been sitting here all day, waiting for a single text from Marco to see if he's okay," Jackie said soothingly, her voice filled with empathy.
"Okay, okay," Sabrina replied, trying her best to stop the tears from flowing. "So as soon as we get Marco alone, we can tell him everything, right?"
"Uh, yeah, about that," Janna said, rubbing the back of her head with a hint of unease. "We can't tell him EVERYTHING. If the princess figures out how to use her magic, she can extract information from Marco, and we'd be in serious trouble."
Sabrina's voice rose with panic. "So we're just going to leave him alone with her?" She pulled away from the group, slowly walking backward toward the door.
Jackie braced herself, cautiously following Sabrina. "Sabrina, please, you know we're not going to leave Marco alone," she said, trying to calm Sabrina down. By now, Jackie could see cold smoke billowing out of Sabrina's mouth
"Whoa, whoa," Janna said, her voice laced with concern. "Don't transform here; it's going to ruin my rug. I don't wanna clean up a frozen rug."
"Screw your rug, and screw you guys for hiding this from me!" Sabrina yelled, her skin slowly turning a bluish tinge as the temperature of the room dropped, a visible manifestation of her building anger.
"Please, Sabrina, we just need to figure out the portal solution," Jackie tried. "Once we can ensure everyone else is safe, we can help Marco."
"And how long's that going to take?" Sabrina said, her glare fixed on Jackie. "By then, who knows what that princess would have done to Marco? I can't believe you guys would let her do whatever she wants with him."
Jackie opened her mouth to try and retort, but Janna intervened, sensing the escalating tension. "Yeah, give it up, Jackie," Janna said, bracing herself to leap into action. "I'll go for the legs, you go for the arms." Janna's eyes began to glow with a purple hue as she grinned at Sabrina.
Jackie sighed, her frustration evident. She closed her eyes briefly, gathering her resolve. She always got the arms, which meant dealing with the ice afterward. Jackie planted her feet firmly on the ground, feeling small cracks forming in the floor as her weight caused it to sink slightly. She let out a breath, a wisp of smoke leaving her mouth as small red scales began to emerge around her body.
"Don't make this harder than it has to be, Sabrina," Jackie said, her red eyes narrowing as she glared at Sabrina.
"Yeah, what she said," Janna chimed in as small patches of purple scales began to envelop her skin. "I don't mind too much, though. I've been wanting to get you back for the last time."
Sabrina frowned, her transformation intensifying. "If you don't let me go, this is going to be much worse than last time." By now, Sabrina's skin had completely turned blue, and small spikes of icicles began to cover her back. Sharp, light-blue teeth began to form in her mouth, and a layer of ice began to creep up the walls.
"Don't transform all the way," Jackie urged, turning to Janna.
"I know, whose house do you think this is?" Janna smiled, her arms undergoing a dramatic transformation into black, leathery bat wings. Janna aggressively flapped her wings against the ground, launching herself upward before flapping again and diving at Sabrina's legs. At the same time, Jackie propelled herself forward into Sabrina, her hands now engulfed in small flames, reaching out to meet Sabrina's own hands in a struggle for control.
Sabrina braced herself as her hands began to glow, small snowflakes swirling around them.
As they all prepared for a potential fight, a sudden ringing sound filled the room, causing all of them to stop in their tracks. Jackie dug her feet into the ground, halting herself just inches away from Sabrina. She turned her head toward the table, where her phone was ringing. Janna redirected herself, flying back to the table and hovering over it. She looked back at her friends, a puzzled expression on her face.
"Uh, it's Marco," Janna announced, her voice tinged with surprise.
Marco Pov
After telling Star to come down to eat Marco made his way downstairs. He walked into the kitchen and called out to his mother,
"She's coming, Mom, just needs to get ready," Marco informed her.
His parents were both busy helping to set the table, which was nearly complete. Marco's mom turned to him, a warm smile on her face as she set down the last glass of water.
"That's good. Did you make sure to tell her to take her time?" she asked.
"Yeah," Marco replied with a nod.
"That's good. You can relax until Star comes down then," his mom said.
Marco nodded, showing his gratitude, before making his way through the back door. As he opened the door, a rush of cold air greeted his face. He instinctively stuffed his hands into his hoodie pocket and settled into one of the outdoor chairs, taking in the briskness of the evening.
As he relaxed into the chair, Marco allowed himself to reminisce about the day. Surprisingly, it had been really fun; despite their initial encounter, Star seemed like a great friend to have around. He had enjoyed their time together and found himself wanting to learn more about Mewni, its knights, and its combat. Additionally, he looked forward to showing Star more of the interesting places around town.
Marco instinctively reached for his phone, pulling it out and turning it on. However, he was met with a screen filled with texts from Jackie and Janna, demanding his attention.
Marco's eyes shot up, a sudden realization hitting him like a ton of bricks. He had completely forgotten what Jackie had told him earlier. It had been bothering him how strangely Jackie and Janna had been acting ever since Star's introduction. He vividly recalled the fear he had seen in Jackie's eyes back then, and the memory sent a shiver down his spine.
The mysterious note had instructed him to send them a text without Star knowing, but he had become so engrossed in the day that he hadn't checked his phone at all, and now it was quite late. Marco couldn't quite comprehend why they were so worried. Perhaps it was Star's eyes that had them unnerved? True, those eyes had an uncanny quality to them, but just the eyes alone wouldn't be enough to terrify Jackie to that extent. After all, Jackie was considerably stronger than Marco in more ways than one. Despite his initial unease over Star's peculiar gaze, Marco had grown to appreciate her as a genuinely cool person.
Marco opened up the texts and scrolled through them. They all essentially said the same thing, asking him about his whereabouts, whether he was alone, and if he was okay. Janna's texts, however, were noticeably laced with more colorful language compared to Jackie's. Marco sighed, hoping they weren't too upset with him. He was sure that if he explained how Star was actually a genuinely nice person, they wouldn't be worried anymore.
Deciding that a phone call would be the best way to relay all the information, Marco texted Jackie that he was alone so that she would be more likely to pick up. He then dialed Jackie's number.
The phone rang for only about five seconds before someone on the other end picked up.
"Yeah, Jackie, you there?" Marco asked, waiting for a response.
From the other end of the line, Marco could hear a chorus of voices. Was that Sabrina he heard?
After a few seconds, Janna's voice came through, "You alone, Diaz? No princess next to you?" Janna inquired.
"Yeah, she's upstairs changing right now. I'm in the backyard. What's up? What's with all the texts?" Marco asked, a hint of confusion in his voice.
"Nah, Diaz, what's up with forgetting to text us back, you idiot," Janna retorted, her frustration evident in her tone. "I can't believe you're this stu—"
"Are you okay, Marco? Did she do anything to you?" Sabrina's voice interjected, and it became clear she was there with them. Her question, however, left Marco confused.
"Uh, no, she didn't do anything," Marco began, his voice filled with a mix of confusion and defense. "I just showed her around the school, and then we ditched school to explore the town. I don't know why you guys are so worried; Star seems like a nice girl. I understand her eyes might be—"
"Stop right there, Marco. You have no idea who Star really is," Jackie interrupted firmly. "We can't explain everything right now, but please, just believe us. Do not trust Star."
Through the phone, Marco could hear Sabrina and Janna both expressing their agreement.
"I'm sorry for being so cryptic, but this situation is extremely complicated, Marco," Jackie continued, her voice carrying a note of concern that was hard to ignore. "I know what we're saying may be confusing, but please, trust us when we say we're trying to protect you." Her voice quivered slightly.
"Listen, Diaz, I don't know what that princess said to you, but you can't trust her," Janna reiterated firmly. "Like Jackie said, we can't tell you everything just yet. But once we can, we'll contact you, I promise. Just trust us. You need to act normal with her, but if she asks to use magic on you or take you somewhere else, say no."
Still feeling confused, Marco questioned, "How do you know Star could do that stuff? Listen, I don't know what's going on, but I talked to her for like half a day. Sure, her eyes are a bit creepy, but she told me it's just genetics. She's a really nice person. I'm sure that if you guys just met her, you would und—"
"Listen, Marco, I'm not in the mood to argue right now," Sabrina interrupted, her voice sending chills down Marco's spine. "If you don't listen to us, I'll spill the beans of what we did that night," Sabrina threatened.
Marco's eyes widened in fear. "Yes, ma'am. Absolutely, no magic spells or dimensional travel for Marco Diaz, none of that. You don't have to worry about it," he hastily assured them.
In the background, Marco could hear more hushed voices followed by a brief struggle before he heard Jackie's voice again, this time tinged with slight anger. "Hold her, Janna. What's Sabrina talking about, Marco?"
Panicking, Marco stammered, "Uh oh, Star's here. Gotta go," and he repeatedly slammed the hang-up button on his phone.
Marco couldn't help but wonder what was going through Sabrina's head. Why would she bring that up? He was pretty sure Sabrina wouldn't spill the beans unless she somehow knew he was still mixed up in something dangerous. Even if she did, there's no way she'd just lay it out like that to Jackie; that'd be like signing his own death warrant.
It was clear that whatever had his friends all worked up was extremely serious. But Marco couldn't quite figure out what could be so frightening about Star. He didn't know much about her yet, and it seemed like his friends already had some intel on her. As far as Marco knew, this was Star's first time on Earth. Were his friends hiding some connection to Mewni? Questions buzzed in his mind, leaving him more baffled than ever.
Marco shook his head in confusion. Whatever it was, he decided he'd have to wait for them to tell him. For the time being, he chose to place his trust in them; after all, they were his best friends.
He settled back into the chair and tried to calm down. There was no point in stressing over it now. With no information to go on, there wasn't much he could do. He wasn't particularly skilled at coming up with solutions anyway, he mused. He closed his eyes, allowing the cold air to envelop him as he attempted to relax.
After a final check in the mirror, Star was ready to head downstairs. She had changed out of the princess gown into a more comfortable one, let her hair down, and switched her shoes for comfortable slippers. Despite all the training to be a princess, Star despised the formal attire. She preferred to be like her dad, wearing whatever she wanted. Her mother had explained that the clothes were meant to command respect, but Star was pretty sure her powers alone were enough for that.
She looked at herself and noticed the scars on her legs and arms were visible. They had washed off during her shower. Not even her mother knew about these scars. Star was well aware that if her mother found out, her father would face severe consequences. It was her choice to continue training with him, but she was certain her father would bear the brunt of the punishment.
She waved her wand and whispered a small spell to conceal the scars, instantly camouflaging them with a fresh layer of makeup. Star couldn't help but frown at her reflection. She actually liked how her scars looked. To her, scars symbolized strength and resilience; they commanded more respect from her people, as they were the marks of a warrior. She had always held a deep admiration for her ancestor, Solaria the Monster Carver. Solaria had been covered in scars and was one of the few queens who had fought with close-range weapons. When Star was younger, she would lose herself in books about Solaria and pester her mother with countless questions about her. In fact, it was Solaria who had inspired Star to ask her father to teach her how to use a sword.
Star gazed at her wand intently. Once she managed to master this wand, she was determined to create her own laser sword, just like her hero, Solaria. A grin spread across her face at the idea. She was eager to learn how to use her wand properly and unlock its full potential. To aid in her learning, she had brought the magic instruction book with her. Unfortunately, the little creature that resided in the book, and who had taught all the princesses before, had refused to help ever since Solaria's rule. The last she knew about him was that he had taken up residence with Eclipsa after freeing her from her prison.
One aspect of Solaria's rule that Star didn't quite grasp was why her mother had allowed Eclipsa to live. Eclipsa had openly sympathized with the monsters, yet Solaria had chosen to ignore it. Ultimately, it led to her mother's untimely death. The thought of such a formidable warrior falling victim to an ambush devised by her own daughter weighed heavily on Star's heart, and she couldn't help but loathe the situation.
Fortunately, the little creature had abandoned the magic instruction book. However, with no guide to assist her, it became much more challenging to locate the necessary information. The past queens had left numerous notes to help categorize the spells, but even with those, it was still a cumbersome task.
Nonetheless, it was far from impossible, and once Star learned to master her magic properly, she was determined to accomplish what Solaria hadn't been able to—put an end to Eclipsa's reign.
Star's contemplation was interrupted by the ringing of her mirror phone. She retrieved the device from her bed and, upon opening it, saw that her mother was calling her.
Star answered the call, "Hello, mother?" she greeted.
"Yes, Star, it's me. Have you settled into your new home yet?" her mother inquired.
"Yes, Mother. I just finished unpacking, actually," Star replied, her eyes scanning her room. She had used magic to personalize it to her liking.
"The place isn't too bad," Star added, offering her mother some reassurance.
"That's good to hear, Star. How do you like your guide?" her mother continued.
"Marco's just as single-minded as you said, Mother. I've been able to gain his trust, and I believe that in about two weeks, I can have him in our army," Star said, taking a seat on the bed.
"Well done, Star. There's no need to rush, though. Take your time. Make sure to practice your magic as well. I've added special sticky notes to the book to help you practice your magic properly," her mother explained. "The black ones are mine, start with those to get the hang of the basics. Afterward, you can look at the others. Each queen has left their own spells marked with special colored sticky notes. Mine are the blue ones, and, because I know you'll seek it out anyway, Solaria's are the bright red ones."
Star grinned in appreciation, "Thank you, Mother. I promise to master the basics first."
"I hope so. What are your first impressions of your Earth guide, Star? Do you think he has the potential to be a good soldier?" her mother inquired.
Star contemplated for a moment before answering, "Well, he definitely has a thirst for combat. He inquired about the various combat training methods of Mewni and appeared quite intrigued by them. Furthermore, he practices a form of hand-to-hand combat in this dimension. However, I'm still uncertain about the extent of his strength. At the very least, he is a diligent trainer. He bears scars on his hands, and he told me that his body is marked with even more." Star recollected, "When I held his hand, I could feel the roughness from calluses."
Star's mother started to react, "You held his-" but was interrupted by a sudden commotion on the other end. The unmistakable sound of a door being flung open and a primal scream reached Star's ears. Her father's footsteps were rapidly approaching her mother, and then she heard her mother shout.
"River!" her mother exclaimed, "What are you doi- give the phone back!" Her mother's tone grew demanding. Star could discern a struggle on the other end as her father managed to gain control of the phone. She instinctively covered her ears as her father's voice erupted through the phone.
"HE HELD YOUR HANDS?" her father screamed, "HOW DARE HE! KILL HIM, STAR! BLAST HIS HEAD OFF! BETTER YET, I'LL COME OVER RIGHT NOW AND-" His voice was abruptly muffled by something that Star assumed was her mother's restraining spell.
"Sorry about that, Star. I thought I told your father to stay in the bedroom," her mother sighed. There was a sound that suggested her mother was brushing off her gown.
"It's okay, mother," Star chuckled at her father's overprotectiveness.
"But your father has a point. You are a princess, Star, and he is to be a soldier," her mother said sternly, "Avoid any physical contact with him. I'll let it slide this time, but make sure he understands his place. You are a princess, and he is simply a tool."
"Of course, mother," Star responded dutifully. In all honesty, Star had wanted to practice sparring with Marco to get a gauge of his abilities. She was also interested in learning about Earth's combat styles. However, she knew it didn't matter much. Marco was just an Earthling. Even if his combat style was decent, he would stand no chance against a Mewman knight, let alone her.
"Okay, Star. I'll let you go for now. Call me again tomorrow when you're free around this time. Good night, dear," her mother said warmly.
Star could hear her father's muffled words, which she assumed were her father saying good night.
"Good night, mother, and please don't hurt father too much," Star asked, smiling.
"I'll take it under consideration," her mother said, chuckling before hanging up the phone.
Star closed the mirror phone and pondered her next plan of action. Ideally, she would have Marco take her to the place where he fought so she could assess his abilities and train him properly. Convincing him would have to wait until the next night. In the morning, Star wanted to get to know more people from Echo Creek, especially the two girls she had seen whispering to Marco. She assumed that many of the monster children attended the human school to better fit in, so there was a good chance that there were refugees hiding out there. If that were the case, they would already know who she was and might try to avoid her at all costs. Star planned to observe the students' behaviors to estimate who might be a monster or demon in disguise. She understood the need to play it safe, as older refugees would likely warn the others not to attack her out of fear that the queen might discover them. However, she knew it was only a matter of time before that strategy would no longer work. The refugees were clever, and many of the children of monster kings and queens had been sent to Earth to hide, making them extremely powerful. They likely suspected that there was magic involved with the portals, but figuring out how to unlock her mother's powerful spell would take at least a year. All Star needed was to become strong enough within that year to take on all the monsters on Earth.
Her mother had estimated that around 500 monsters were hiding on Earth, but only 20 of them were of royal blood. Star knew that she could barely win against one prince or princess in a fight, and the thought of monsters and demons having the same level of power as her was unsettling. Star couldn't help but feel an overwhelming frustration that monsters and demons appeared to be on equal footing with her in terms of power. This realization stirred up a deep sense of discontent within her. Her competitive spirit flared, and she could sense a growing bloodthirstiness in her heart. It wasn't just about becoming stronger anymore; it was about asserting her dominance. She was the princess of the all-powerful Mewni kingdom, a realm built on the foundation of warfare and strength. Star was determined to prove her supremacy to those she saw as lesser than her, and she would stop at nothing to attain the strength she desired.
She knew she would eventually become strong enough to overpower them all; they were merely stepping stones on her path to conquering all of Mewni. For now, she needed to maintain a clear and level head. If she executed her plans correctly, she could secure a place in her mother's army.
With her thoughts and plans firmly in place, Star headed downstairs to join Marco and his family for dinner. She was greeted by Marco's parents, who warmly motioned her toward the table filled with an array of Earth's delightful cuisine.
"The food's ready, Star!" Marco's mother said with a warm smile. "Me and Rafael made sure to prepare a variety of dishes to welcome you to Earth."
Rafael chimed in, beaming at Star. "We made plenty, so don't be shy about taking seconds."
Star couldn't help but notice the subtle unease in their eyes, how they tried not to make direct eye contact with her. It was nothing she hadn't experienced before. Star was accustomed to people avoiding eye contact with her, fully aware of the eerie glow in her eyes. She didn't blame them. The only ones who dared to look her directly in the eyes were her parents.
"You did not have to do so much," Star said appreciatively, "But I'm grateful for the hospitality, Mr. and Mrs. Diaz."
"Awww," Angie said with a warm smile, "Of course, dear. And no need to be so formal. Come, take a seat."
As Star settled into her seat, she noticed Marco emerging from the backdoor of the kitchen, appearing deep in thought. He brightened up when he saw her.
"Yo, Star," Marco greeted, taking a seat at the table, "How was the room?"
"It was great," Star replied, "Very comfortable. It's interesting to see Earth bedrooms."
"Really?" Marco asked as he served food onto his plate, "How was your room in Mewni?"
"It's a lot bigger with many decorations and gold colors," Star described with a wave of her hand, "A typical castle room."
"Sounds pretty cool," Marco responded. "Not a fan of your room?"
"It's not too bad; my mother allowed me to decorate it a bit," Star explained, picking some unfamiliar food for her plate, "I don't mind it, but it's nice to see a different, more humble room."
Marco nodded, saying, "I get what you mean."
As the dinner conversation flowed, Star engaged in small talk with the Diaz family. The more she interacted with them, the more she couldn't help but notice the family's kindness and warmth, which she found suffocating. Star couldn't deny that everything about them seemed to exude weakness. She glanced at Marco, who had reapplied makeup to cover his scars. Star realized that Marco concealed his scars because his kind-hearted family likely wouldn't understand his deep yearning for combat. But she understood him, sensing that same primal bloodlust that she felt within herself. In Mewni, this bloodlust was allowed to thrive and had been integral to making her strong.
Here on Earth, it seemed that Marco's potential had been stifled. She saw it in him – the untapped power and longing for real battles. He had never been given the chance to train properly, to experience the thrill of battle and the taste of victory. Star frowned, feeling a sense of frustration at such wasted potential. Yet, she was determined to change that. With each bite of her meal, she formed a plan in her mind. Star was resolute that she would provide Marco with the environment to develop his strength. She would help instill a warrior's mindset in him, one that made him willing to face death for the thrill of battle and the taste of victory.
The main difference between Star and Marco was clear to her: Star was strong enough to continue her rampage, while Marco would likely meet an untimely end. He was just a weak human, but Star was determined to change that. She saw the potential in him and believed that, with her guidance, he could become at least a decent soldier before facing his inevitable destiny. Indeed, he might meet his end, but it would be in service of a greater cause, aiding in the conquest of Mewni. In her eyes, there was no nobler way for a mere peasant to meet their fate.
With a sense of satisfaction, Star bid her hosts goodnight and retreated to her room. The delectable meal had offered her a refreshing break from the routine corn-based cuisine of Mewni. The flavors were a revelation to her. Perhaps she'd consider taking a human cook back with her to Mewni, allowing her to savor Earth's culinary delights more often.
Star found herself growing drowsy as she lay in her cozy bed. Today had been a productive day, and her meticulous planning had left her content. Now, it was time to rest and prepare for tomorrow. With thoughts of her increasing power and her ambitious conquest swirling in her mind, Star drifted off into a peaceful slumber.
Thank you all for reading, I apologize for the late upload.
This chapter is unfortunately not as long as the previous one, but I'm already working on the next chapter. I plan to have them finished in about a week from now.
I do have a basic plan for the story and I want to finish it out. There are a lot of things I added because I feel it would make the story more interesting such as making Jackie, Janna, and Sabrina monsters. I also wanted to try and add more POVs from different characters to make it easier to understand the story and to show some more perspectives.
I once again appreciate the reviews and favorites. I'm glad to see you are all enjoying the story. I am still really enjoying writing this and have no plans to stop.
If you have any feedback or specific parts you enjoyed(so I know what parts to expand on!) please feel free to let me know!
With that being said, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.