Disclaimer:

The following is a non-profit fan-written story. Star Vs. The Forces Of Evil and its characters are not owned by me, they're owned by Daron Nefcy and Disney Television Animation.


Author's Note

Okay, let me confess; the ending of Star Vs. didn't bother me too much. I like to think that it was more of an open-ended scenario and some things were left unsaid on purpose in case it got a new season. I do admit Nefcy should have been a bit more honest that it was gonna be a bit of a controversial approach, but yeah, fans take it a bit too seriously. I do admit that Mina getting away with it was… insanely dumb, though, and the way they did it felt like they did it because it was odd and unexpected. Another reason why I'm not that harsh on the ending is because it was very "un-Disney". No Disney show would have made a very controversial ending like this one, and that's why I'm not as harsh on it.

I'm honestly only doing this fanfic because, well, I wanted to do something different here in this case since Hekapoo is one of my faves and while I'm not new to doing fics that are basically focusing on a different character (Keena Soga & The Defendants Of Constan Academy and Cyberpunk: Prolegomenon), and I noticed she barely has any big fanfics focusing on her, and the ones that do...unfortunately tend to always pair her with Marco (Not a fan of the ship, if I gotta be honest), so it just feels like she's there for just a ship than to build up a character, so...yeah, I wanna at least try with this. Also, don't be afraid to nitpick this cause uh… there might be some retcons on here that could make people question. You just gotta be on the right mind on this thing. Plus, a friend told me that there's really no wrong way to write a fanfic.

Finally, major thanks to Ukari, AKA RacattackForce, who previously edited a few chapters of my Cyberpunk Prolegomenon fanfic, and he did some refining on this grand first chapter. His writing will forever outmatch mine, but his schedule is insanely hectic, so he'll either do this just for this chapter or just every once in a while. So with that out of the way, on with the show.


We see a spotlight shine down on a familiar pair of scissors that are floating down slowly into view, hovering above the hands of a tall, pale-skinned woman, body and face hidden by a luxurious hooded robe. The woman begins to speak.

"The Dimensional Scissors. One of the most powerful tools in the cosmos. As inventive as they are unique, they cut through the boundaries of reality, granting its wielder the power to travel to anywhere within the grand multiverse with unlimited usage, powered by the magic of the cosmos. For years, the use of such an item has been forbidden, with those who flaunt it considered outlaws…"

The scissors finally come to rest in the woman's hands. Our view widens as she turns to face another, shorter figure who has been hidden in the shadows outside of the light. The robbed woman removes her hood, revealing a large and wild stock of red hair, piercing green eyes with yellow sclera, and a pair of horns. She fixes her companion with a stern look as she continues.

"Recently, there have been relaxed regulations concerning the use of magic. It is now believed, as our kind has always argued, that tools such as this are not the source of trouble and ill will. That free use of these scissors are no cause for concern. Meaning Demeasts no longer have to hide our perfect craftsmanship within the shadows. And I have decided that you will be the first Demeast in a hundred years to proudly display our legacy to the masses once again. And so, Hekapoo Theta Serpentis, will you take this–"

"DUH!"

The figure, who we can now clearly see as a young Hekapoo, unceremoniously swipes said scissors from the woman's hands with a wide grin. Unlike the dress she will wear later in life, she is sporting a post-grunge band T-shirt, black jeans, and knee-high laced boots.

"Thanks, Mom. I mean, I already sorta knew I was gonna get the family scissors soon anyways, but c'mon, ya didn't need to do it sounding like a cool wizard or something." Hekapoo twirls the scissors around with her fingers while glancing around. "When did you install that spotlight in the dining room, though?"

Hekapoo's mother, Thecae, gives a sigh and rolls her eyes. She claps her hands, turning off the spotlight and returning normal light to the room, making it plain to see that mother and daughter are just standing in the middle of a small dining hall. A stack of dirty plates and half-eaten food on the table let us know that they just finished dinner before Thecae started being… theatrical.

"Okay, first of all, that spotlight has been there for years. We really need to work on your situational awareness."

Hekapoo shrugs in response.

"Second, I never get a chance to wear this thing. It's such a beautiful garment, and it makes me feel powerful." She gives a manic, devilish grin before remembering herself and giving an awkward cough before continuing. "And third…" She kneels down to be at eye level with her daughter, putting a hand on her shoulder. "This is a momentous occasion, and I wanted it to be special. And I wanted to be explicitly clear about the responsibilities that you now wield, having accepted the ancestral scissors. And we both know that when it comes to matters like this, I must be absolutely stern."

Hekapoo gives a grimace. "Ugh, don't tell me that there's rr-"

"Rrrruuuuuuuuules," they both say simultaneously, with Thecae dramatically pointing skyward while Hekapoo sarcastically twirls around one of her index fingers.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, okay, I'll sit and listen to the rules. As long as you stop talking like that. You're cool, but you can be cringy sometimes."

"If cringe saves you and the prestige of the scissors, then cringe is the way to go." Thecae says with a straight face.

"Mom!"

"Pfft, haha. Okay, okay. Normal mom, then." She stands back up and snatches the scissors from Hekapoo's hands. "I'll give you the short version. Rule number 1: Never lose the scissors. These have been in the family for generations. If you lose them, your grandmother will rise from the grave to kill you, then kill me… then the surrounding villages. Rule number 2: Never give them to someone else. You can create knock-offs if you think they're worthy, but this pair is yours until the day you find your own successor. And rule number 3: Please don't break either of those rules. Got that?" She holds the scissors out and Hekapoo takes them back.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." Hekapoo glances up at her mom, who is looking at her softly. With a bit of a scoff, she opens her arms up to be dragged into a bear hug by the amazonian woman.

"Hekapoo, I know you think I'm being dramatic. And I totally am. But believe me. I look at you and I see a rebellious spark. The kind of spark that heroes are made of, ya know? The spark that says 'I'm gonna make a difference and no one can stop me!' I could have waited a few years. There was no rush. But that spark is why I decided to give them to you now. I've become… complacent in my duties and actions." She stands back slightly to cup Hekapoo's cheek. "Now that isn't a bad thing, because that complacency kept you safe. But there aren't many of us left, and the scissors – our legacy – are better suited for the hands of a trailblazer. My little trailblazer." She kisses her daughter's forehead as Hekapoo absorbs this information, stunned.

"Whoa..." Hekapoo looks down at the scissors in her hands, holding them a lot more carefully. She gulps some air, realizing on that show of faith. "That's… a lot of pressure for a 15 year old, Mom. What do you expect me to do with these?"

"Whatever you want! I wouldn't let you touch the darn things if I didn't trust you." Thecae laughs. "Just don't, you know, become a sociopathic racist or get involved in hiding a political conspiracy."

Hekapoo laughs it off. "Oh please, I'm smarter than that."

"I know. Now then, any more questions, H-Poo?

"Moooooooom, stop with the H-Poo! It won't be a thing. It ain't that cool of a nickname." She puffs her cheeks a bit while pouting.

"Nah, it will totally be a thing!" Thecae says as she pulls Hekapoo into a headlock and starts to playfully noogie her.

"Gah! Mom-on-Daughter noogie! Help! She's gone mad!" Hekapoo screams in mock terror. Thecae laughs, letting her go after a few more seconds of torture.

"So, what's the first thing you're gonna do with those?"

"Easy! Sneak into a concert so I don't have to play the scalpers outside!"

"Ha ha! Capitalism's overrated anyways!" They share a fist bump before Hekapoo opens up a portal with the scissors.

"I promise I'll be back before midnight!"

"Just make sure you limit your crowd surfing hijinx, alright? I got dropped on my back once and trust me, it hurt like hell, and I was lucky that the sticky stuff I landed in was just a bunch of fish slime."

"Phbt! Got it, I'll be careful." Hekapoo steps through the portal, only to stop halfway. "...Also, I promise you won't regret this. I don't think I can be a hero. I don't think I'm that much of a risk taker. But… I'll try. I'll sure as heck make the family name known. And my name will make history, no matter what!"

"...And you call me dramatic." Thecae gives a fond, lopsided grin.

Hekapoo playfully sticks her tongue out before giving a confident smile. She then turns to fully enter the portal only for the scene to freeze. We pan back as it turns out that the past few minutes have been a recording playing on a smartphone. The sounds of clinking glasses and distant chatter is heard. We cut to an establishing view: it's the Tavern At The End Of The Multiverse. Going back inside, we have a new angle: Hekapoo sitting on a bar stool, staring at the smartphone screen with a mix of emotions. She's horrified, crestfallen, feeling so many things all at once. And then there's Glossaryck, floating next to her, who gives an exaggerated cough.

"Ahem, yes. Well, to recap! There I was in the Realm of Magic, saying goodbye to Star Butterfly, preparing to die, having already given the perfect final words. But then I remembered this little loose end."

"Loose… end?"

"Yes, that you aren't actually one of my magical children! You are adopted! Surprise!"

"...What."

"Exactly. You weren't a magical creation, Hekapoo. You're basically a type of demon called a demeast. DEM-on? B-EAST? Demeast." He gestures with his hands to emphasize the portmanteau. "You get it? You get it. Oh, and you have a doting mother! Who's alive! Probably." Glossaryck starts rummaging through his robe for something.

"Probably?!"

"Kidding! Her exact whereabouts are unknown to me, though. Aha!" He triumphantly takes out a cup of pudding.

"Nononononono, what...wha...?"

Glossaryck sighs and gives a pensive look as he grabs a spoon and starts eating. "I had a feeling you weren't gonna react well to this. Maybe I went too hard with the Forge Forge Berries." The pudding cup is suddenly smacked out of his hand. He gives an enraged Hekapoo a bored glance. "...Well, that's rude."

"RUDE?!" She grabs him with both hands. "YOU KNOW WHAT'S RUDE?! MAKING ME EAT MIND-ERASING BERRIES TO FORGET ABOUT MY MOM!"

Hekapoo starts to radiate with energy as she squeezes him harder, causing the magical genie-like being to give a shocked gasp of pain.

"No wonder…" She whispers.

We cut to various scenes showing all the times she and Mina worked together to try framing Eclipsa over the past few months. And every time she got together to scheme with the rest of the Magical High Commission over the past few centuries.

"No wonder it all felt so off!" she screams at the top of her lungs, her body shaking as a crazed look enters her eyes.

"I already knew I screwed up bad how were Marco and Kelly able to be friends with me? But now I… now I have a mom. Does she know what I did? Everything I did to Mewni? Was it even me? I never… it sometimes felt like I wasn't always in control. Like someone was mind-controlling me." Hekapoo thought out in disbelief as she continues to take shaky breaths, her gaze unfocused. Glossaryck tries to shimmy out her hands, but fails thanks to her death grip.

"Hekapoo, listen! As your loosely defined father-like figure, I—oof!"

Hekapoo's eyes snap towards Glossaryck and she puts more pressure on him. We hear his spine crack.

"GOD DAMN, THAT'S– n-now, I order you to release me! So I can fully disappear in peace, at the very least— MY RIBS! MOTHER– look on the bright side. At least you aren't a magical being like me, Omnitracus and Rhombulus. We'll just disappear. Well...for as long as magic's gone anyWAY TO PUNCTURE A LUNG, WOMAN! But we might not even be our own proper selves, either. Who knows what forms we'll take when that happens! But you! You get to live!"

Silence follows for exactly 10 seconds. Hekapoo's eyes are darting back-and-forth as she thinks. Glossaryck, limp in her hands, mimes checking his watch.

"Besides, it's not my fault people with amnesia are so impressionable. Anyway, now that I've fixed all that internal damage you just caused, I have things left to do before dissipating and–"

"You don't deserve that." Hekapoo quietly interrupts. "You deserve something way worse."

"Wait, wha–" Hekapoo viciously chomps on him with her sharp teeth before he can properly react, stretching and ripping Glossaryck's body in two as his guts stretch like mozzarella cheese in a scene echoing Saturn Devouring His Son as she chews up the genie's head and torso. She gets some of it down, but ends up hacking out chunks of brain and skull out on the floor. She throws the rest of Glossaryck's body onto the ground for good measure and stomps on it for a while, the floor cracking with her final stomp. After a few seconds of heavy breathing, her brain catches up with her actions and she smacks her lips.

"Ugh, everything tastes like rancid milk now." she mutters to herself, before noticing that all the hushed conservation in the tavern has switched to her.

"Dude, did...did she just eat Glossaryck?"

"Is that a war crime?"

"That's...no doubt a ban."

Most of the hushed conservation.

Some of the tavern patrons start to stand up, with one also breaking a glass bottle to use as a shiv. "Yo, that's screwed up, he was the best, you know?" one of them speaks up.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP! HE MADE ME FORGET ABOUT MY OWN FAMILY, AND I TURNED INTO AN ABSOLUTE ASSHOLE CAUSE HE MADE ME EAT SOME MEMORY BERRIES OR SOME BULLSHIT! I TURNED INTO A SOCIOPATH! A RACIST! A… JUST A SHITTY BEING!" Hekapoo rants, still struggling to process the past five minutes of her life.

Everyone in the tavern gasps in disbelief, but not at Glossaryck screwing around with her memory and mental health, but more at the idea that he would do such a thing. Plus, disrespecting the dead isn't nice when the half of the corpse is still fresh.

"She's blabberin' BS, let's get her!" someone else in the crowd yells as they all start to run in her direction, a few throwing glasses and bottles at her.

"Ugh, seriously?!" Hekapoo dodges everything, disbelieving."You're really going to attack a member of the MHC after she ate a guy? How do you think this is–" She's interrupted by a minotaur getting a good punch in, her head snapping to the side from the force of the hit.

"I actually got a hit in? HEY GUYS, I GOT A HI–" The minotaur screams in glee, before Hekapoo decks him back, the force of her punch flinging him clear across the room to crash into and break a table. We hear a faint groan from where he lays. Yet another voice cries out from the crowd.

"NOW SHE KILLED BARTHOLOMEW!"

"He's a freaking minotaur! He's gonna be fine – screw it, I just don't give a damn anymore." Hekapoo sighs. "Well, if I'm gonna fight, might as well do this with a catchy song..." she thinks, annoyed. Grabbing one of the beer bottles being flung at her, she throws it at the jukebox in the corner to start it up, and a song starts to play.

[BGM: "Endless" by Turnstile]

Hekapoo dodges a punch by backflipping to land on a bar stool, kicking the monster in the face as she does so. She punches another hooligan in the face as soon as she lands, and throws a mewman trying to sneak up on her from behind over her shoulder, taking out both them and a few other guys. She hops onto the bar counter as soon as a woman tries to kick the stool out from under her, then grabs a half-drunken mug of ale and splashes it in their face. The blinded woman flails around and knocks down herself and a tiger monster, while Hekapoo tosses the mug into a bespectacled mewman's face, the mug breaking on impact. Hekapoo looks around and realizes there are far more beings in the tavern than there were before. And the look in their eyes says that they are all really out for her head.

Brain is in the clouds

Shot down every time I come around and try to get it off the ground

Following a feeling in my heart

Even if it all falls apart, when I hit a wall I gotta

Break in

Break in

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Before she can really think about how much the crowd must have really loved her deadbeat "dad", the barkeep starts choking her out using a broken stool leg. She headbutts the guy and pulls the stool leg out his hand while he's dazed, whacking him over the head with it and knocking him out cold. A demon grabs her leg and drags her off the counter, but she takes him down with her, quickly turning around and grabbing his head to smash the back of his skull into the floor, and blood begins to pull. She's shocked at her own brutality at first, but a mystified smile starts to creep up her face as he slams his head a few more times until the guy is well and truly dead. Getting up, she dodges another few punches from the crowd before delivering a roundhouse kick that lays some more people flat.

A female monster who managed to dodge tries to give a roundhouse kick of her own back with a literal stiletto heel shoe, but Hekapoo catches it. Her smile widening, Hekapoo starts windmilling the woman around by the leg until the limb is torn off her body, the monster's screams of terror being silenced once she hits the wall and her neck breaks on impact. Before Hekapoo can take a breath, two large men fling themselves at her, trying to tackle and hold her down, but she whirls around with her new leg weapon, slicing their throats and letting them bleed out on the floor, a spray of blood erupting from their necks. Two more men try to throw themselves at her as well, but she catches them by the heads and, with some effort and her muscles bulging, squeezes them so hard that they explode into a grisly mess, coating her hands and face, her expression now one of pure mania. A few people in the crowd pause and back off, scared at the ultraviolence, but most of them refuse to relent and keep gunning for her.

Brain is in the clouds

Shot down every time I come around and try to get it off the ground

Following a feeling in my heart

Even if it all falls apart, when I hit a wall I gotta

Break in

Break in

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

She then was momentarily blinded by some blood that got in her eye, Hekapoo gets hit with a teeth-shattering uppercut from the minotaur from earlier.

"Told you dorks! He's fine!" she screams disdainfully, spitting blood into Bart's eyes. As Bart tries to clear his vision, a flying fly-headed woman zips towards them and tries to vomit acid towards Hekapoo. He misses, instead hitting the face of the minotaur, whose face melts away, flesh sloshing off in waves and leaving only the skull behind, stuck making a voiceless scream. His corpse unceremoniously falls on the floor, crushing one of the other fighters with its bulk. "Okay, now he's dead!" she corrects herself, smirking.

The fly woman continues zipping around Hekapoo, trying to aim for another shot. Hekapoo glares at her and throws the disembodied leg she's been holding like a harpoon, impaling them to the wall by the throat before they get a chance to vomit more acid. Her brief admiration of the perfect throw is broken when she has to dodge the spray of another acid-spitting woman by leaping into the rafters. Just as fast as she jumps up, she slams back down to the ground on top of the woman and starts stomping on her head in time to the beat, turning her face to unrecognizable mush as the song ends, but another plays.

[BGM: "Don't Play" by Turnstile]

"Where are all you–" Hekapoo stops talking for a bit to grab the tongue of a frogman that was heading straight for her face, using her enhanced strength to try and rip it out of his mouth, only to turn him inside out instead, becoming a blob of intestines, lungs, and other bodily organs. "–freaking weirdos coming from?!" she continues, crushing the still-beating heart on top of the meaty pile to fully kill him.

She looks around to see that no one has left in the face of the growing slaughter. "Let's cut the shit..." she mutters. Hekapoo's face darkens even more and she summons her Dimension Scissors, splitting them in half to use as daggers.

You got me paralyzed. You got me stutned

Worls like bombs, I'm going numb

Giving more than I cane take

But don't you take my thrill away

Don't play (Don't play)

"I'm surprised you all haven't thought of running away yet…" she growls. "So I'm giving you saps a choice. You can all leave on your own, alive." She points her scissors at them."Or you can all leave dead. Choose." She's a bit surprised at the part of herself that craves for them to choose the second option, but she tries to get a grip on her newfound bloodlust long enough to hear a response.

The crowd of people stands afraid, but resolute. All but one talking rat, sweating and shaking while pitifully wielding a rolled-up newspaper that he immediately throws on the ground. "Aw, screw this! The amount Mina is paying us ain't worth it! I'm out!" But before he can run out of the tavern, he's burned into ash by the flame above Hekapoo's head.

Disconnect from everything I think I know

Release my mind, my garden grows

Found a place where I can stay

Now don't you take thrill away

Don't play (Don't play)

Hekapoo gives a feral grin. "Mina's stooges, eh?" She immediately sobers up when realizing something, though, lowering her scissors slightly. "Wait, why didn't you try attacking Star and Eclipsa when they were here, like, ten minutes ago?"

The remaining Mina followers awkwardly mutter amongst themselves before one of them answers. "Some of us were running late. And it isn't nice to jump fools when the whole gang isn't with you. That's what my mom taught me." The crowd nods sagely.

"And aren't most of you monsters? So why–" she continues, eye twitching.

"Enough of this! Die, Hekapoo!" screams a large troll woman, before being burnt to ash as well.

"Yeah, okay. But just so you know? Since you're all Mina's goons? NO ONE LEAVES ALIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE! WHO'S READY FOR A BLOODY BLOODY BLOODBATH?!" she yells out demonically, eyes flashing white as the song comes back in with full intensity and she gives into her desire for carnage. She runs and floats around like lightning, cutting and slicing up all the unlucky people in the tavern. A head there, an arm here, intestines and kidneys everywhere. Limbs and guts are flying through the air and leaving the tavern covered in bloody viscera.

No I'm not the one to set you free

Don't weight

Me down

Don't play

Don't play me out

The song ends when Hekapoo cleaves one final minion in half. Glancing around at the damage – the walls stained red, a mess of chopped up brain, liver, and whatever meat littering the ground, and the smell of iron filling the air as she pants heavily, but then she can't help but vomit where she stands. As she drags herself to the bar counter to steady herself, coughing up one last bit of bile, she unleashes a feral scream and punches the counter, breaking that section of it. Looking haggard and even more pale than usual, she moves herself over to a non-damaged part of the counter and sits down at one of the only stools that's still in one piece, laying her head in her arms.

"I can't tell… if I wanna be alive or dead..." she says softly. She glances down at her scissors and sits up to start playing with them, turning them around in her hands. She closes her eyes and sighs, then points the tip of the scissors at her throat. "I'm sorry… I just… can't…" Tears start to fall slowly and her breath hitches as she prepares to stab herself in the trachea.

"No, no, no, what the fuck are you thinking?!" She throws the scissors away from herself. "I… I can change, can't I?" she muses to herself as continues to cry, sniffing while mucus drips from her nose. "What can I do…?" She then remembers one friend that she can talk to, seeing as Star and the others are still dealing with a pretty big and busy situation. Now that she thought about it, would her scissors even still work once they destroy the source of all magic? If she portaled somewhere now, would she be stuck there? Either way…

"I think I know what to do."

She gets up and takes out her smartphone as she walks over to where she threw her scissors. Surprising herself, her first instinct is writing a message to Star.

Listen, Star …Did you know Mina paid some mooks to get the jump on us? Don't worry, I bodied them. Probably doesn't matter by the time you get this though. Wait, no, that's not what I want to talk about.

What I really want to say is I'm… sorry. I don't think I said that before you left. Like, really said it. Look, I know it'll sound weak, but I don't think I was all there when I did all those things. The racism, the political cover-ups, all that shit. Glossaryck visited me after he said goodbye to you and told me some things. Now I'm shaken to the core. He used Forge Forge Berries to make me forget about my Mom. And no, he didn't get busy. Turns out I'm not really one of his creations. And because of those berries, I became a sponge for some vile shit, like when I tried to think Eclipsa was evil, like some mind-controlled puppet, I became a total bitch. And I wouldn't have known if that bastard didn't realize he had some "loose ends."

He said my mom is okay, but that's probably a lie. He claimed he can't find her whereabouts, but it's Glossaryck. Bastard could have found her if he tried. Oh, right, I killed Glossaryck before the loss of magic could. Felt like he deserved it for all that. But yeah… guess I can add "killed your mentor" to the apologies list. I guess the good news is I'm not gonna die now, but frankly, I'm not that happy about it. But I think I know where I'm going next and I'm sure you'll know soon enough… so please tell Eclipsa that I'm sorry. And to Marco, too. And to pretty much everyone. If you don't want to give me another chance if we meet again, I can believe that. Maybe we could have been friends in another life.

She hits send and puts away her phone. Picking up the scissors, she cuts the air, making a portal. Looking back down at her scissors, she gives yet another sigh, and jumps in as the screen smashes to black.


Chapter 1: "The Things We Do To The People That We Love"

The words "6 Years Later" appear on the black screen. As the words fade out, we hear the sound of someone hitting play on a tape recorder.

"My name? Hekapoo Theta Serpentis. Yep, my full name is just that sweet. Occupation? Formerly of the Magic High Commission, a group created by Sir Glossaryck of Terms for one purpose: to keep magic under control.But we stank at it, because we were lousy, racist and stupid sociopaths. You wanna know what's worse? It turns out I wasn't even created for them. I wasn't made of magic like them. I am a Demeast, a rare crossbreed of demon and beast. I mean, in hindsight, that makes sense with the horns and my arm fur spikethings. Anyways, that means that when the rest of the MHC died, I didn't. Plus side? Had more than enough time to channel all that sudden "you lied to me" rage into… making a mess of the Tavern at the End of the Multiverse. It seems only I know about that, not that it matters. Minus side? I have to live with the consequences of my actions…

Where am I now? Earthni. Seeking... redemption.

[BGM: an instrumental version of "Corporeal" by Broadcast]

Cut to scenes from the final episode of the show as Hekapoo continues her voiceover.

"Due to the Cleaving that was done by none other than Star Butterfly herself, both Mewni and Earth merged into sort of a hybrid of sorts. But surprisingly for two different worlds being slammed together, it went through peacefully. Yeah, it took a while for everyone to get used to it, and there are still some people who are sketchy on the whole thing, and governments, authorities and leaders were pissed off trying to figure out who owned what, who controlled what, and all that…

Cut to a scene of Star confidently talking at a podium to a crowd of humans, mewmans, and monsters while Marco, Janna, Tom, and her other friends stand next to her.

But Star and her friends were able to calm everyone down.Then again, considering Echo Creek's been cool with magic before anyone else on Earth, that probably might have helped out. Since then, humans, monsters, mewmans, etc.have easily accepted each other. As far as I can tell through entertainment,, at least. You'd think the people who created Earthni to begin with would constantly be on the news or in tabloids, but Star and Marco? Totally media shy and living their private lives. The public doesn't even know exactly how it happened either. Star decided to keep that hush. I know though. I have a close source that talks with them, and they were happy to tell everything to a friend.

Cut to Star and Marco sitting on the living room couch in the Diaz home, wildly gesturing while talking to someone just out of frame.

Which is unfortunately how I know that Mina Lovelace might still be out there. My source never says, so God knows if Moon Butterfly is out there too. She may have helped her daughter save the monsters in the end, but frankly, the fact she might be a hero too disgusts me. But then again I'm not exactly the best myself, either.

Cut to an unassuming little house nestled between a bunch of trees. We're at the break of dawn. Cut to some interior shots of a bedroom – clothes on the floor, band posters, some weapons, a stereo system, etc. – as Hekapoo continues to speak.

I've been living in Woolandia, one of the Mewni villages that survived thetransition, for 6 years. You'd think people would notice a former MHC member bumming around their town, but nope. The local community has yet to recognize me. Thanks to, again, that close source, who's also helped me to at least cool myself a bit.

Yet...even after all this time, I dunno if I can see Star face-to-face."

The song fades as we see Hekapoo lying in bed and half-covered with a bedsheet, staring at the ceiling while speaking into a tape recorder. She clicks it off and lays it on her bedside table. She doesn't get up, continuing to look at the ceiling.

"I still dunno if this is good self-therapy." she softly says to herself.

[BGM: "1999 WILDFIRE" by Brockhampton]

Ladies and Gentleman, lions, tigers and bears, giraffes, sea urchins, alligators and all that shit.

I am Jazze Phenzel Burgandy Obana Luther King Jr. Jackson 5 the First, and I'd like to introduce to you Block Hemzell, AKA BROCKHAMTON!

Oh boy, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!

Cut to hours later, Kelly Collymore, the now 21-year-old green-haired Woolett, is rollerblading through a marketplace, carrying some grocery bags as she deftly weaves between through the crowd of shoppers before turning onto a quieter side street. Instead of her original striped pink-and-white shirt, she's sporting an oversized, purple hoodie with band logos messily spray-painted on the front. The music is coming from the headphones she's wearing, mouthing out the "Ladies and gentlemen!" part, then singing the next part out loud as she skates down the sidewalk, also waving at her wolf monster buddy, Jorby, who waves her back.

"My hands up, I let go, my mouth is getting cold

I know they come and go, la-la-la la la la la la

My wrist is stuck on frozen, places that I can't go

Niggas that I don't know, la-la-la la la la la la

Thirty-two hundred on the jacket like Magic Johnson

Got a couple chains of Slauson

Silhouette lookin' like Charlie's Angels

I loose up with a drip of sangria

Wipe the smirk, life ain't that serious

Love when you're double bunned up, like Leia

Makes me wanna check my blood pressure

Am I being too obvious?"

Reaching her home, the house we saw earlier, she knocks on the door and continues to rap away as she dance-skates in place, waiting for the door to open.

"I got a crush, it's nothing else,

I swear it's nothing else

Wake up, feelin' like Adriana Lima

Wavin my feet, yo, right up out the bimmer

Do my dance like ooh, la, la

She strut like oh my God

Make me sweat like exercise

Double up, milkshake and fries"

The door opens up, revealing Hekapoo. After getting out of bed, she tamed her hair into a long ponytail, bangs pulled back to put both her eyes on display. She's also dressed more casually for the day, wearing just a T-shirt and yoga pants. Kelly skates her way past her roommate and puts the song on speaker, miming holding out a microphone as Hekapoo follows her to the kitchen. Hekapoo gives a smirk and takes the imaginary mic as she takes the next verse, Kelly clapping along.

I heard a call from the mountain top; "Joba!"

So I put my cloak on and I walked

Coined a peasant in the grasslands with a wand

Cast my spells with some peasants, now we roam

We left our shanties in the village with nowhere to go

Just a group of outcasts with the gifts of hope

Well, now we're eating grapes, and the finest cheese

Achieving wisdom from the wizards we were trying to be

Now other people from our village want to come with me

The thing with magic is you cannot have it if you don't believe

You didn't believe, they did not believe

You can't tell me things, this was all foreseen

You're not one with me

I bought a horse with the shillings that you took

And then gave back to me

I met the queen that you praise so much, she's into me

I bought a castle in the Shire with the moat and the catapult

I keep it clean with my medieval flow

Once they reach the kitchen and start putting away the groceries, the song fades out as Hekapoo's narration returns. "This is Kelly Collymore. Funny that many people didn't know she had a last name. Anyways, she's the 'close source' I talked about. We became friends through Marco. They were just friends at first, but they were 'breakup buddies' for a few weeks. She's still mortified when the topic comes up. Before the Cleaving, we had a couple otherworldly adventures as part of our friend group, but we never connected one-on-one until then. I can't tell you why, but when I learned about who I really was, I knew she would be the only one that would understand me. And I made a damn good choice deciding to go to her.

We flashback to the past few years, watching brief snippets of the two women enjoying each other's company. Playing games, watching movies, and having playful sword vs. scissor dagger sparring sessions. We cut back to the present day, where Hekapoo and Kelly are in the living room watching TV while sharing a bowl of nachos. The voiceover continues.

"We really connected like bros, and honestly, it started to feel like living was worth it. She was my lifeline. To the point that I kinda started crushing on her."

Something on the television makes them erupt in laughter. Hekapoo looks at Kelly and we cut to her viewpoint, where Kelly is framed in a slow, ethereal glow.

"However..."

As Kelly turns to face Hekapoo, we cut to another flashback. Instead of overjoyed, Kelly now looks pensive, with a small frown. We change angles to see them sitting together on a picnic blanket, Hekapoo nervous and avoiding eye contact.

"Yeah, Kelly, I admit the reason why I asked you out on a picnic with me was because… I wanna see if maybe you and I could date a bit, is all." Hekapoo bashfully looks at Kelly, hopeful.

"Oh. Uh listen I don't think I want to. It wouldn't be… when I look back at the relationships I've had Hecky, they weren't great. Tad and I kept breaking up and getting back together every other week, but I kept going back to him because it felt like an obligation. And when me and Marco were "break-up buddies", it was justreally embarrassing. And I was bitter when he broke it off, but at the same time… kinda happy too. Like, I always thought that if you're really good friends with someone, you HAVE to get together with them, you know? Like that's the next step that has to happen."

"Huh…"

"Yeah. But the more I looked back on it. How I got together with Tad. How I kinda got together with Marco. It felt like I was just forcing that connection to be more when, really, I don't think I felt like those relationships… were more? And I think… that would be us if I said yes."

"Oh."

"Nononono, it's not you. It's me. 1000% me. I don't really get romance. Like, duh, I know what it is. But I'm starting to realize that I just kinda tap out at anything beyond the best friends zone. Trying to be all romance and lovey-dovey feels like work. And effort. Effort I could be putting into so much else. It took a while, but I think I'm aromantic. And that doesn't really work with the whole dating thing.

"Ah...well..." Hekapoo gives a weak smile. "Yeah, I guess I guess that's a no, huh?"

Kelly hugs her tightly. "I'm sorry. Rejection hurts. Even if I now know Marco would have never worked, I still feel a little pissed about how it ended. You were even there for that, remember? But it's okay. After I stopped crying and spitting venom, I felt fine. I learned more about myself, and I feel like a better person. And maybe you can be even better after this, too. We'll still be buds."

Hekapoo's voice starts cracking. "Yeah, that's fine I'm cool we're cool. Cool as a cucumber."

"Y-you're crying? Whoa… I've got you. I've got you."

As Kelly continues to cradle a crying Hekapoo, we cut back to the present, where the two are also holding onto each other, but now they're laughing their asses off and struggling to breathe from lack of air. The narration returns.

"That day was only the second time I ever cried. My confession happened over two years ago, but… well, it's obvious that we're still great friends. And she continues to push me to be better. And that's the best and worst thing about Kelly. She seems to instantly know what I need, even if it isn't something I want. As soon as we finish watching this show, I know somehow she'll ask her daily 'When will you visit Echo Creek with me to see Star and her friends?' question. She's been asking constantly ever since we moved out of her mom's hair a year ago. I admit that I'm oddly nervous about it. Hence why I've been rejecting the offer every time."

"Where in the world do they get these hack singers?! It's supposed to be a talent show!" Kelly says as she tries to get her laughter under control. You deserve to be on a show like this. You absolutely killed it with that rap earlier. Hell, your voice fits every genre I throw at you! Aren't you glad I expanded your music landscape?"

"Eh, rock's still the better genre, but it works for me and that's what matters." Hekapoo replied with a smug smile.

Kelly finally gets her chuckles under control. Grabbing the remote, she turns the TV off and moves the nacho bowl off the couch before turning her attention back to Hekapoo. "Aaaaaaanyways-"

"I know what you're gonna say and I still ain't ready for it."

Kelly groans, deciding that maybe it's best to be assertive for once. "It's been years now, Hecky. I know it's awesome that we've been loyal to each other, and that you've said that this house is like a cozy pizza, with you being the pepperoni and me the italian sausage. Or that it's like a teenage boy's room on Halo Night, and I'm the Mountain Dew and you're the Doritos. Well, I say it's time for other flavors—I mean, to branch out."

Hekapoo chuckles a bit. "Smooth talker there, Kels. But here's the thing...what if me going over there gets too much attention? What if Mina shows up? How will I even get there anyways?" Kelly rolls her eyes.

"Mina, Mina, Mina, like… I'm sure you're more powerful than her. I mean, besides, maybe she's dead? She was a homicidal racist who just wandered off into the woods. She didn't get a cozy place, unlike you."

"That's the thing; if I ever see her, there's gonna be a bloodbath." Hekapoo looks down at her lap and clenches her fists, her voice turning dark. "And no one better stop me." Suddenly she gasps, as her brain begins crawling with pain. "Guh… ah...!"

"Hekapoo, Hekapoo, is it the headaches again?!" Kelly panics, moving herself closer to the demeast to catch her if she falls.

"God...damn it!" Hekapoo curses out, when she starts hearing voices.

"You're not supposed to live."

"You ignored your fate."

"You were never going to have a future anyways."

The pain then suddenly stops as the demeast grunts and nearby falls on the ground from the sensory whiplash, Kelly catching her before she can face-plant on the carpet. As Hekapoo is helped back up to the couch, she's hit with one last hallucination. This one is visual: a flash of Echo Creek.

"I'm gonna get you some aspirin, okay?" Certain that her friend was comfy on the couch, she starts heading to the kitchen, but Hekapoo grabs her by the hem of her hoodie sleeve.

"I… I heard voices this time. That I ignored my fate… that I'm not gonna live… something about not having a future...!"

"Who said that?!"

"I...I dunno. But..." She stands up. "But I guess that's a sign."

"Whoa, sit back down. It's okay. Just stay here, watch cool cartoons and anime, and keep getting comfy..."

"No, you know I've been having these headaches for the last year or so. And now I'm getting hit with creepy voices and visions? Nah, I think...I gotta do something about this..." She takes a deep breath and clenches her fists before staring at Kelly, determined. "Take me to Echo Creek, Kelly… I'm finally ready to meet up with her."

Kelly blinks a bit, uncertainty giving way to a confident nod. "Well then… let's get ready!"

Hekapoo brings her into a hug. "Thanks. Shame it had to come to this, but I gotta do it."

"Ooh, look who's being brave now." Kelly teases, as she makes her way to the stairs to their bedroom. Hekapoo follows.

"Wait, how are we gonna go there, anyways? Isn't Echo Creek on the other side of the country?" Kelly pauses halfway up the stairs and turns to her.

"Um, different country. Because of the Earthni merge, of course, Woolandia is in Canada, they're in the US. But yeah, opposite coasts." Kelly lightly corrects, before giving a thoughtful pause. "You, uh… never rode a plane, right?"

"Nope. Bruh, usually I teleported with my scissors."

"Well, you're gonna learn Earth customs on the way. Now let's pack, we're gonna be out of Vancouver by...woof, the overnight, cause the best flight I can find is at 3:30 AM for the 3 hour-flight.

"Alrighty. Don't be surprised if I sleep a lot on the way. Ya might need to call me Hekasnooze."

"Phbt.", Kelly snorts.

"Yeah, it sounded better in my head."

[BGM: "Missed The Boat" by Modest Mouse]

We have a montage of the duo packing all the necessary stuff for themselves, from clothing, to toiletries, to a handheld gaming console. We see a specific bag for Kelly's sword, having the exact same shape. Hekapoo also has a tiny, scissor-shaped carrying case for her scissors, that she delicately places them into after a quick polish. As they leave the house with their packed belongings, they're wearing their more familiar outfits; a dress for Hekapoo and a striped shirt for Kelly.

While we're on the subject

Could we change the subject now?

I was knocking on your ear's door

But you were always out

Looking towards the future

We were begging for the past

Well, we knew we had the good things

But those never seemed to last, oh please just last

As the montage continues, Hekapoo and Kelly take what looks like a private ride to an airport that looks to be fully Woolett-managed. Without magic, making portals wasn't really an option. The next best option was by plane: something which the Mewni residents of Earthni saw as quaintly old-school, despite never seeing a plane in their lives before the merge. We watch as the duo get their tickets, see Hekapoo argue with a pair of customs officers about their weapons while Kelly looks on amused… until Hekapoo decks one of them in the face, making her wince. Cut to the girls leaving an airport office several hours later, Kelly shaking her head while Hekapoo is red-faced and pouting, and finally boarding the flight itself, where Hekapoo looks tense due to never experiencing a take-off herself, as Kelly once again looks on amusingly.

Of course, everyone goes crazy

Over such and such and such

We made ourselves a pillar

We just used it as a crutch

We were certainly uncertain

At least, I'm pretty sure I am

Well, we didn't need the water

But we just built that good GODDAMN

The song continues on, playing from Hekapoo's earbuds. Now way more relaxed in the air, she humorously mouths off the "Goddamn" as she gazes out the window, seeing such an insane view from above, looking at the wonderful lands below, looking like a colorful, mystical garden even in the dead of night thanks to the city lights.

Oh, and we carried it all so well

As if we got a new position

Oh, and I'll laugh all the way to hell

Sayin, yes this is a fine promotion

Oh, and I'll laugh all the way to hell

The song fades out and we cut to a few hours later. Hekapoo is eating some gummy candies, looking indecisive, while Kelly is playing on a Switch-like console with her headphones on. Deciding to put away the candy for now, Hekapoo hesitantly looks at Kelly and pokes her shoulder.

"Yo, Kels?"

"What's up?" she replies, pausing her game and pulling off her headphones.

"Y'know… I still gotta wonder. I know I was sort of… mind-controlled or berry controlled or whatever, and that got me pity points, but I'm still shocked you've gone this far for me, you know?"

"No kidding, you were still pretty jerky in that first year at times. Your whole 'holier than thou attitude' needed a lot of fixing. Which was weird to see combined with the whole suicidal situation?" Kelly frowns. "I mean, you let Star go destroy all the magic when you still thought you were a magical being. I never wanted to push too hard, but…?"

"Honestly… I still dunno what my motivation was there. To face death with dignity? The fact that there was no turning back? Like, magic was being abused. And I was part of the reason why shit got as bad as it did. I guess I feel like I deserved to die for my crimes? And a solution to the problem that also killed me? Dunno. Sounded nice at the time. But then Glossaryck confesses out of nowhere like that..."

"You think it was his attempt to say sorry?"

"I mean… I dunno. I..." Hekapoo glances around to see if anyone was paying attention to their conversation. No one seems to be, but she leans in and lowers her voice anyway. "I was still so mad I went feral. Tried to eat him. He tasted like crap." She leans back out. "I mean, it sure shows my edge, huh?"

"That's the thing, though. What if, you know, go all… tavern mode again?"

"I mean, I've killed before? I think? When the Mewman vs. Monster wars started, I sorta remember fighting. But I don't remember ever being as… deliriously in love with fighting as I was at the Tavern though. I think it was a one-time thing. But…"

"But…?"

"If that did flip a switch, and I'm now into drinking the blood of my enemies, then come what may. For me, what matters is that Glossaryck kidnapping me meant I sort of cheated death in a way. But I also gotta wonder… what's my goal now? The MHC is gone. Even if it wasn't and I was crazy enough to join back up, there's no magic to govern. Glossaryck was probably lying about my mom, so I'm the last of my kind. It's just… I feel like I expect Star to have all the answers, and I dunno if Star is gonna have all the answers to this, you know? And yet… it'd be nice to have familiarity again."

"Hm… did you ever stay a whole day in that town?"

"Uh… I don't recall?"

"Huh, me neither, actually. Most of my usual trips aren't even to Echo Creek, you know. Even when I'm in Cali, I only swing by Echo Creek for an afternoon. Except for one time when Star and Marco got me to try some tacos and they were all the rage! Spent the whole day at that Britta's place chowing down."

Hekapoo chuckles as she searches her memories. "Did I ever eat one when we were part of the Kill Devil Pass Riders Club?"

"Nah, don't recall. Wonder if that Talon guy is still around, you kinda had a thing for him, right?

"Did I?" Hekapoo groans, embarrassed. "Man, I actually even miss his cheesetastic loudmouth."

Suddenly, the plane shakes as if it was hit.

"WHAT WAS THAT?"

"Relax, Hekapoo. It's called turbulence. We probably just got caught in a weird air current. Nothing Earthni-shattering."

The plane continues to shake a few more times before it goes back to riding smooth.

The plane's PA system clicks on, and one of the pilots begins speaking. "Our apologies, we saw some weird pink thing and it rocked the plane around a bit."

A second voice is heard. "Actually, he should be the one to apologize, because he always sees pink things due to tripping balls. Again." The other voice gasps.

"I know perfectly well what you're talking about, you want me to take the booger sugar so I can see it too, don't you?"

"...Uh...yes?"

"Anyways, we'll be landing at LAX in 30 minutes folks." The PA system clicks off rather suddenly.

Kelly and a few other passengers laugh. "See, it's okay. They even did a bit to make us laugh and relax."

The demeast responds sarcastically, "Guess I missed their greatest hits."

Meanwhile in Echo Creek, what looks to be a new version of the Butterfly Castle, looking a bit more modern in design.

We hear what sounds like someone washing their hands and grumbling to themselves. "Okay, maybe pineapple pizza doesn't go well with me.."

Just then we hear a "woosh"-like noise, followed by a huge pink shockwave that overtakes the night sky. We cut to inside the castle, and we see the back of someone running to an open window to frantically look outside.

"Oh...oh no...", they speak in a rather familiar low octave. "No way..." Their body sags in dismay, before they take a deep breath and stand upright. "Welp...time to go back to work."

The person turns around, and as they head to the other side of the room, we see that it is none other than Star Butterfly.

[BGM:"The Never Endng Why" by Placebo]

Time will help you through

But it doesn't have the time

To give you all the answers

To the never-ending why

Star changes out of her pajamas and starts putting on her usual attire. As she adjusts her hair in the mirror, she notices a bright light shining from her closet. Opening the wardrobe and taking a small chest out from the top shelf, she opens it to find her wand, overcharged with power and bleeding magical energy from the sudden shockwave.

"Yup, magic's back." She grabs her purse off the bed and stuffs her wand inside. "The magic's back, so I'm gonna have to go myself now instead!". She takes an energy drink from her nightstand and runs out the room while chugging it. We hear her hacking and coughing from drinking so fast when she's offscreen.

We cut to the interior of a SUV sitting in a garage. Star, rubbing some saliva from her mouth, enters the vehicle and drives it out as soon as the garage door opens behind her. As the song fades, Star punches a number into her phone and puts it on speaker, before sticking it to the dashboard.

"C'mon, pick up pick up, pick uuuuuuuuup!",

We cut again to a pretty luxurious-looking bed. A smartphone is ringing on the bedside table, and a hand reaches out from under the covers to blindly search for it as it rings. After slapping the table randomly a few times, the hand grabs the phone and pulls it back under the covers for the owner to answer.

"Ugh...hah...hiya?"

"Magic's back! We gotta get a move on! I'm already out! Please wake up now! I'll pick you up! Bye~!"

We hear Star quickly fire off a slew of sentences before ending on a cute-sounding bye. The person who answers the phone sits up, revealing themselves to be a confused Eclipsa Butterfly who is trying to process what just happened. After a few seconds, it clicks, and she goes from groggy to eyes-wide awake.

"Globgor, darling, I'm gonna be taking a 'morning stroll'. Keep on snoozing, alright?"

Globgor reacts with a snore.

"Sounds like an affirmative." She quickly changes out of her nightgown, though not as fast as she wishes she could considering the big news. It's only when she's firmly placed her hat on her head that she realizes something. "Aw, bloody hell, she said magic was back, right? I could've– oh, whatever!"

She heads down to the kitchen where she can already hear a loud honking sound from outside. She ignores it for now to nab a Snookers bar and a can of soda from the fridge. She lightly jogs over to the front door, devouring her "breakfast" as the sound of barking dogs and angry neighbors joins the honking. Burping as she goes outside, she gives a faux smile as she waves at everyone who got an early wake-up call before jumping in the passenger seat. Star skids off before Eclipsa can even close the door.

"Good lord, Star, no need to be barbaric on this. Just hearing your horn once would be enough to give me a migraine. Need to wake the whole town? Not to mention the sudden exit! We need to be alive to investigate, not hospitalized from a car crash or angry night owls!"

"Sorry, Eclipsa, but I just have such a bad feeling now. I'm gonna pick up Kelly. I was gonna have an Uber sent to her, but now, I dunno!" She slams on the gas pedal, going even faster and barreling past a red light. We briefly cut to a police officer sitting in his car nearby, and he's shocked at Star's driving… but continues to eat his donut and sip a coffee, because he's not awake enough to deal with this.

"Oh, that cute Woolett friend of yours!" Eclipsa exclaims. "Hold a tic. Do we need more people involved with this?"

"Best to be super prepared and ready! We're gonna need everyone we can get. If she wasn't already on her way, I would have called her!" Star makes a hard turn that nearly flips the car over. Eclipsa looks slightly rattled by this.

"Then maybe we should try to contact your mother? Surely Moon can take a break from her travels to-"

"What? Nah, nah, nah. She's busy! Still super busy! Probably? Maybe? I...I wouldn't want ot bug her about this. She needs her space!"

"Needs her space?" Eclipsa squints. "Dear, when exactly was the last time you talked with-"

"ANYWAY, It's gonna get ugly as soon as it comes back! Thankfully, I've done as much research as possible!"

"I mean, it's not like the Magic High Commission will return...right?" Eclipsa timidly asks, not sure whether to fear whatever Star is worried about or her panicked driving more… "Wait, are we even on the right side of the road?!"

"Unfortunately...yes, but I do have good news. Hopefully only three – well, technically two, since the other one never really left–"

"WHAT?!" Whether Eclipsa said this about the oncoming truck or Star's words is unclear.

"Yeah, sorry, forget to tell you. Anyway, while hopefully only two of them will be back, the one that didn't leave will fight on our side!"

"WHAT?!" Whether Eclipsa said this about Star dodging the truck by now hydroplaning across the nearby creek or Star's words is, once again, unclear.

"Trust me, Eclipsa. From what Kelly told me, she badly wants to change. You know Hekapoo, right?"

"Oh, her – wait, SHE'S gonna be with us?!" Eclipsa replied, oddly excited. This could only be from Star's words, because Star was now driving on top of other cars.

"Whoa, that was a quick 180!"

"You see, I've been doing some research myself. Turns out… me and her Mom may have history. And if she's trying to reform as you say, she deserves the full story."

"No way… but for now, we gotta get to LAX and make a game plan before shiz gets liz… I mean, lit!"

"Not a problem! I'm sure we have enough ti– STAR, DON'T CUT THROUGH THE DAY CARE!"

We suddenly cut to the main hall of what seems to be a rather dark, foreboding-looking lair, where a nasally, menacing chuckle is heard. On either side of the pathway, dozens of people are kneeling in reverence to the woman walking down the center.

"Ohh, about damn time! Those idiots really left me alive all those years ago thinking I wasn't gonna do anything! I lurked and dodged them! Mina Loveberry's regime shall be in progress! HA HA HA! Especially now that I got some...familiar buddies."

Three figures reveal themselves by dropping down from the ceiling as she continues. "Rhombulus! Omnitraxus! Lekmet! You three deserve another chance… I dunno what happened to that fat demon woman thing, but I guess she didn't have the balls to come back!"

Rhombulus roars. "Oh yeah! That means I have the balls! All of them. Oh, no offense, Omni. Unless you aren't dickless? I mean, you're, like, space dust, and a space-time skull and-"

"Just...stop, okay? How are you so limber? You don't need to stretch, but I do? Gah, being dead for years must have been easy on you, huh?"

In a bit of a shock, Lekmet speaks up with a very low octave and kinda suave voice. "Ugh, you two be quiet… it's bad enough I'm back alive. But now I have to deal with a schedule freak and the idiot who froze me and got away with it..."

"Whoa… uh… we can understand you now?!" Omnitrauxus stares, shocked.

"Wait… you knew I did it?!" Rhombulus also reacts in shock.

"I can speak to more than Gem-For-Brains now?" Lekmet says to himself, mystified, before giving a devilish chuckle. "Oh, and yes, Rhombulus. And I'll…pay you back."

"That's… actually pretty demonic." Rhombulus squeaks, as he not so subtly hides behind Omnitraxus.

"SILENCE!" The trio turn their attention to a glaring Mina. "All magic may be back, but you see this place here? This secret area was a forbidden magic zone from the Butterfly regimé, but the Earthni merge made this place so much more easily accessible! Magic never truly went away! Of course it was gonna come back! It never truly dies. Maybe it's inaccessible for a few years, but c'mon, who are we fooling here? You guys are as dirt as I am, so we're perfect for each other! And you all better get your act together, because when we win, we're gonna make anyone associated with monsters PAYYYYYYY..." She starts to lose herself in an evil cackle before suddenly stopping. "In the meantime… we all know who we're going to send a nice little welcome party to? Star Butterfly. Now my Legion Of Affliction… Get. Her. Wand!" All her followers cheer fanatically as a series of portals start opening up behind her. As she turns to end them, her troops and the MHC follow…

A bit earlier, back at the airport, dusk has finally broken as both Hekapoo and Kelly enter the terminal. As Heakpoo walks over to baggage claim, Kelly gets a phone call and stops walking to check the caller ID. "Video chat from Star? Wow, she woke up early, huh?" She answers the call, and is surprised to see Star driving.

"Hey, Star, we just-"

"You saw a pink shockwave, right?"

"Pink shock– nah, we didn't see it ourselves, but we totally felt it. Hekapoo thought it was something weird and wild. And now I'm guessing it is…?"

"That's a sign of magic being fully back now! I'm picking you up myself just in case. You're with Hekapoo, too, right?

"Uh, yeah. She's coming back with our bags now. We'll meet you at–"

"Get to the runway! We're gonna break through there so you don't need to be at the arrivals!"

"WHAT?!"

"WHAT?!" Eclipsa adds from offscreen.

"Go there, now!"

Kelly nods. "You got it!"

Hekapoo, hearing the tail end of the call, drops the luggage and tries to run over to join the conversation, but Star has already hung up. "Star, it's me, I—DAMN IT!"

"No worries, Hecky, we'll meet up with her very soon, but uh… we're gonna have to be RIGHT on the runway."

"Oh, so we're gonna do some crazy, dangerous crap? Sign me in!" she grins widely, grabbing Kelly by her wrist and dashing back towards the gate to the nearest jet bridge.

"Wait, our bags!"

Hekapoo skids to a stop. "Wait, you said magic's back, right?" She puts out her hand and her scissors materialize in her hands with a fiery, orange glow. "Okay, baby, welcome back!" She snaps her fingers and creates a portal that the rest of their bags fall out of. "Done!"

"Holy crap, it really is back!"

"Yeahyeahyeah, now LET'S FREAKING GO!" Hekapoo closes the portal very quickly, picking up their stuff and dashing past an attendant to get to the jet bridge while Kelly follows behind, everyone staring after them.

Back with Star and Eclipsa, the latter is breathing heavily into a paper bag as Star continues to go full throttle. She looks off to the side and she sees a car hauler truck near the runway fence. She grins.

"Time to do some crazy dangerous crap, Eclipsa!"

"Star, that's what you have been doing for the past fifteen minutes!

"I know! I'm just giving you a heads-up this time!"

"Oh, blimey!"

Back with Hekapoo and Kelly, the girls are standing at the edge of the bridge while some people below are screaming at them to go back to the gate. Kelly is oddly hesitant.

"Uh… what if my knees break?!"

"Wait, are you scared of heights? I'm sure you've been in fights where you landed from like...20 feet before! We've even driven dragon-cycles meters up in the air!"

"I dunno what that has to do with anything, but fine!"

Everything moves in slow motion as the both of them jump off the bridge, while at the same time, we split-screen to see Star's car make the jump from the make-shift ramp as she laughs out in glee, her face matching Hekapoo as they have fun doing this crazy dangerous thing. Time returns to normal as they all land at the same time. As Kelly steadies herself, Hekapoo notices the car approaching them as the workers around them flee.

"Is that her?!" the demeast exclaims, as Kelly, adrenaline now pumping, runs into the car's path, waving her hands and jumping up and down. Star slams on the brake, her tires shrilling as the car drifts to an Akira-like stop right in front of the Woolett.

"Phew...you alright there, Eclilpsa?"

Eclipsa's eyes are glazed over as she thinks about the past fifteen minutes she's spent with Star in the car. She blinks a few times once she registers Star's question, before giving a thumbs up and delivering a cheesy smile. "Absolutely fiiiiiiiine." It lasts a few seconds, then she returns to staring into the void.

"Oh, she'll get used to it." Star smiles blissfully to herself before opening the car door to greet Kelly with a fist bump and hug. "Glad meeting ya face-to-face again, girl!"

"You know it! My parents and Jorby say hi. One of these days, you gotta come over to my neck of the woods. I hear the Goblin Dogs truck has been traveling along the border. The most recent sighting was ten miles out from Woolandia!"

"You bet!" Star smiles back… and then she notices Hekapoo looking at her from the side. They both stare at each other as Star walks towards her. Hekapoo is clearly super nervous, but takes a deep breath. She doesn't know who should talk first…

"Hey…" Seems like Star answered that question.

"Hi..."

Kelly looks on at the reunion as Eclipsa gets out of the car, having calmed down. She regards Star and Hekapoo with a curious tilt of the head before meeting eyes with Kelly. There was a tension in the air, and neither knew just how things would go…

[Flashback to "The Tavern At The End Of The Multiverse"]

We flashback to six years ago, where Hekapoo is relaxing on a couch in a still intact tavern that is very much not covered in entrails yet. Or at least trying to, in the face of the Butterfly family drama going on. She gets up and walks away. "Well, y'all are buzzkills. I'm gonna go make the best of this mess."

"Star, let's just take a seat and talk about this." Moon pleads to Star, who is only growing more and more frustrated.

"What is there to talk about exactly? We can't go back to Mewni because we'll die from a situation that YOU caused! So just stay far away from me! Or better yet, stand over there where you don't exist!"

Suddenly, the screen flashes red.

As Star walks off, Hekapoo groans and moves to follow her. Star stops for Hekapoo to catch up, regarding her with some disdain and crossing her arms.

"Look I made your life hard in a way and I know you probably wanna rage at something or someone right now. So do it."

"Do what?" Star's glare lessens as she lays her arms back down to her sides.

"Slap me, punch me, just...whatever! I know you're frustrated at Moon for helping Mina, but the MHC bankrolled Mina first. Plus, she's your mom. Me? I'm nothing to you. I'm just a massive prick. I have no goals in life. I'm just some...magic thing created for a single purpose and...you have no idea how that feels." Her eyes widen slightly as she realizes how much she's just shared. "It feels like I've been drinking a lot here, and it ain't the pomegranate juice." She moves over to sit at the vacant couch next to them, and starts to play with the candle at the table. Star looks on after her, but doesn't move to follow. She opens her mouth to reply, starting and stopping a few times before giving a frustrated exhale.

"Why are you suddenly caring about me all of a sudden?"

"Because honestlyit could have been cool being friends with you. I mean, if I'm friends with Marco and Kelly, then why not us? But I get it. I mean, imagine us in the Neverzone being buff, cool gals, or you being part of the Kill Devil Pass Riders Club."

"I mean I don't mind being all muscly and all but I prefer Marco-"

"Yeah, uh, honestly, it's starting to gross me out now, and I mean I kinda wanna vomit looking at Neverzone Marco. He's starting to regret his more muscly form, too. He really misses being a princess, you know?"

"He told you that, too?" Star joins Hekapoo on the couch."I mean, honestly, I don't blame him. At least he's still getting paid for the action figures."

Hekapoo lightly chuckles. "You got that right!"Star joins in with the laughter but quickly peters off, frowning.

"No, no, I shouldn't...laugh at a moment like this."

Hekapoo gives her an appraising look. "Hold that thought." She leaves and returns moments later with two drinks. "Here. If you're feeling frustrated, just drink this."

Star doesn't even hesitate, and grabs the tumbler from her hand. "Eh, whatever. But still...you suddenly seem to be okay with me and that feels weird."

"Well, I never really hated you. Besides, if what he said was right, it could be the last..." Hekapoo trails off before sighing. "Just try the drink."

"Well, if I gotta..." Star half-says to herself as the both of them start sipping their drinks.

Star shivers from the sensation and shakes her head cartoonishly, "Holy crap, what is this?!"

"Liquor cola." Hekapoo replies, amused by the reaction.

"Wow, this tastes great! It...ALMOST cheers me up."

"Congrats on your first alcoholic drink. In fact, I think you took it stronger than I did."

"Well thanks. For the drink and getting us out of danger. You did your best there, H-poo."

"Okay, I'll let that slide." she groans.

"Still, I'mgonna need some time to myself okay?"

"Yeah, sure, um...S-Tar?"

Star shakes her head, giving a lopsided smile. "Nah, it doesn't work like that."

Hekapoo shrugs and walks off, leaving Star to her thoughts. As she leaves, she can't help dwelling on the conversation they just had. And she comes to a conclusion. "Nope...think I need another one."

[Another flashback follows, this time to "Cleaved"]

Several minutes later, Hekapoo looks up to find Star storming up to her.

"Hey, Hekapoo, I need you to open the portals. I'm destroying the magic."

"Yeah, sure." She snaps her fingers, "Blow it up."

"Wait, Hekapoo, you're MADE of magic." Marco interjects.

"Look..." Hekapoo begins. Cue another red flash overtaking the scene.She pauses for a bit, shivering, before she continues.

"I always had the feeling the stuff did more harm than good."

"Wait..."

Star turns into her Butterfly forn and suddenly grabs her shoulder.

"You shouldn't deserve to die."

"Why would you go that far for my sake? I suck."

"'Cause, I know you can be good. And maybe you'll get lucky. Maybe, if possible, you can beat fate, too. We'll see each other again.."

Fast-forward to later on, after Star and her crew have left through the portal. Hekapoo is drinking some more cola as she starts to daydream.

"I never questioned much about life. I realize that I only was made for a single purpose...the others were cool about it but now I guess better late than never." she monologues.

She suddenly has a yellow-ish RG guitar on her and she stands on a stage, spotlight shining down.

"Maybe being a rock star would be pretty cool."

[BGM: "Feel The Pain" by Dinosaur Jr.]

"I feel the pain of everyone

Then I feel nothing

I feel the pain of everyone

Then I feel nothing"

She starts the first instrumental break of the song, really shredding her fingers and giving her all.

"I feel the pain of everyone

Then I feel nothing

I feel the pain of everyone

Then I feel nothing"

Cue the next break, now accompanied by Kelly and Star, the former on bass, the latter on drums.

"Is it up to me?

You won't wait to see

Screwed us both again

About as close as you dare

Hey now, take it back

Get off the attack

Trailin' on your scene

Just try and keep it clean"

They break into the instrumental section once again, as they all play hard with everything they've got until the song ends. The crowd cheers, chanting Hekapoo's name… except as they go on, the voice turns into Glossaryck. Hekapoo's eyes snap open to see Glossaryck floating in front of her… and continuing to say her name, but now in Star's voice. Hekapoo's eyes snap open once more and–

"Hekapoo! You, uh...dazed out there."

The demeast shakes her head clear. "Oh, uh...nothing, just thinking about liquor soda again. Heh..." Star rolls her eyes and scoffs.

"You finally talk to me after six years and you're thinking about getting wasted?"

"Hey, I barely even wanted to come here! I just… I needed… I'm trying, okay!" she gives a frustrated huff and glares at the tarmac.

Star pouts, but her eyes soften as she sees Hekapoo's face light up in a blush. She reaches a hand out before remembering why she rushed over here to begin with, frantically turning around to address Eclipsa and Kelly. "Wait, wait, we gotta get out of here right now! Otherwise, we might–"

Cue the group getting surrounded by portals, Mina and her troops marching in as our heroes look around in shock.

"–get surprised." she finishes, burying her head in her hands with a whine. Hekapoo, scanning the crowd for immediate threats, is surprised by three certain people.

"No freaking way...Rhombulus? Omnitrauxus?! LEKMEK?!" Hekapoo points at them, disbelieving.

Star's head immediately snaps up as she looks around, gripping her head in confusion when she sees where Hekapoo is looking. "B-but, he freaking DIED! Like, before I destroyed the magic!"

Cue the former MHC mates seeing Hekapoo themselves.

"You're kidding...!" Omnitraucus exclaims.

Rhombulous points back to her. "TRAITOR! SHE JOINED THEM!"

Lekmek sighs. "Frankly, I'm not that surprised..."

"HE TALKS NOW?!" Star and Hekapoo say in unison.

"HEY! Long time no freakin' see! Star Butterfly! I still gotta thank ya for letting me go! I'm sure you totally don't regret that and that I was such a good hider!" Mina grabbing their attention.

Star growls. "I get it, you war criminal! Don't remind me!"

"Eclipsa! Oh, sweet, dear, Eclipsa, it's almost as if you look the same from when we last saw each other. How's your hulking brutish husband, huh?" Mina continues, ignoring Star's reply.

"I've actually been HAPPY, you numpty! You were probably eating your own excrement!" Eclipsa retorts.

"Ha! That's what you think! And… I dunno who that green-haired girl is, but you're a Woolett, so I don't care if you fight a lot, you'll never be a threat to me!"

Kelly brandishes her sword with a scowl. "Just wait and see!"

"And…" Mina is taken off-guard for a split second upon realizing who the fourth person is. "Hekapoo?! There you are! What are you doing with these grass stains? Didn't Star kill you when she erased magic? Why would you side with a loser like her over me?"

"Because she didn't kill me! I am a demeast! Glossaryck told me before he...vanished! And you're the only loser here!"

"Ohhhh, interesting… so you were a monster all this time and you STILL conspired with me. What. A. Dumbass… in hindsight, anyways. You know, now that you mention him, where is that small blue bastard? Pretty sure he should come back, too… but let me tell you something about Demeasts, H-Poo… they're probably extinct. So if I kill you, that means… I will have successfully killed off a race of monsters! Oh, what a happy day!" Mina cackles. "So...what do you–"

Hekapoo gets her scissors ready and rushes right at her. "SHUT THE HELL UP AND LET'S FIGHT! HAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Mina shifts into her own battle stance, and just before they connect, we smash to black.

[End Of Chapter]


[Ending theme: "Oblivion" by Royal Bood]

Fire in my lungs, I'm spun, walking on wire

In delirium, descending higher and higher

Can't live like this forever, running out of lifelines

Going hell for leather for just one last ride

This gravity's pulling me down

It's time I got myself found

But just before I turn out the light

Tonight

I ain't stoppin' for nothin'

My devil is done

Into oblivion (Oblivion)

Yeah, I had it coming

Too close to the sun

Into oblivion (Oblivion)

Oblivion

Oblivion

Oblivion

Oblivion