A/N
(Get out alive- Three Days Grace: Star steps through window)
(Take me home-Ken Ashcorp: Star vs Marco)
(Six Shooter-Coyote Kisses:Star vs Marco)
Just some background music suggestions, if you're into that kinda thing. Anywho, carry on lol.
- O - O - O - O - O - O - O
There was no light when he opened his eyes. All Marco could see around him was the endless abyss of complete and total darkness, accompanied by a chill that he could feel in his bones. He moved his mouth to try and speak, but no air would come out. Actually, he was sure he wasn't even able to breathe.
He tried in vain to look around, to find some indication of where he was or what was happening, but of course, there was nothing. No ground beneath his feet, no air in his lungs, and an empty, dark void around him. 'Am i dead?' he thought to himself.
'No,' a voice answered from all around him, finally breaking the silence he was held in. Out of instinct, he looked around once more to locate any sign of who had spoken, but there was still nothing. Fortunately, this wasn't a new experience for him. So he thought again.
'Merina? Is that you?'
There was no answer. Just the sustained silence, without even the usual rush of blood in his ears.
'Where am I? Is Star okay?' He asked, hoping to get an answer this time. The voice didn't respond immediately, but when it did, a line of soft green light appeared, running eight inches down his chest.
'She is in pain, and she is angry, but she is fine nonetheless. It is you I would be concerned with. As for where… you are in a dark place.'
Well, that didn't help him with figuring out what was happening, but at least Star was alright. 'Am I alone? What happened?' He asked, trying to use what he could only assume was his wound as a guiding light.
'You were run through by Varteks blade. He filled you with his corrupted magic, burning your own soul out of your body. You are not alone, nor were you the only one,' it answered softly.
Marco made to ask what any of that even meant, or how it was possible for Vartek to do that, but he was preemptively answered by the light on his chest growing far brighter, filling the nearby void with its emerald glow.
They were all around him, at least a hundred more of those...things. But they weren't making any noise. They just floated helplessly in place, making a circular grid-like pattern around him, as though they were in formation. As he looked at them more closely, he noticed that each of them bore a single, circular green light at the center of their bodies, and they all glowed just as bright as his own.
'So, if my body doesn't have a soul, where is it? And why are these guys here with me?'
'Your body is where you left it: under Varteks control, just like them. He intends to use the power of your light to purify his spell, and make his creations invincible.'
He paused for a moment, staring at the creatures around him, the light-giving cracks along their bodies deeper than the ones he had seen before. Although the spell looked different, it's effects were the same.
'I've seen this before, on Vintal. This crazy powerful monster was using magic like this to control soldiers, making them puppets for his army. There's no way to beat this, so… It's over then, isn't it? He won,' Marco thought, dejected at the grim outcome of himself and the monsters surrounding him.
'No. What he hopes to achieve will not work. She will not give him any of her light, and he will have nowhere else to go," she answered softly. "And in regards to your past experience, his spell is unlike any you've seen. It's meant to make his warriors indestructible, and immortal."
Marco didn't say anything. He couldn't take his eyes off the badly burned creatures around him, their eyes as black as the void, save for two dots of green light. 'We still can't fix this. It's irreversible. What happens when he realizes he doesn't need us anymore?' he asked, hoping the train of straightforward answers wasn't over.
'The spell is incomplete, so you may have a chance of being freed. Until then, we must hope that your friend finds him before he realizes this. Otherwise, your fate will not be a pleasant one.'
'Figures,' Marco stated to himself, 'I hope Star's doing okay. I can only imagine what she's going through… again. But I'm sure she'll figure things out. She always does.' There was no answer from the voice, but he was sure that if it disagreed, it would have said so by now. Nothing to do but wait, and hope to Glossaryck that Star was alright.
O - O - O - O - O - O - O - O
"Reports are still pouring in of a minor nuclear detonation near the Chihuahuan Desert, southwest New Mexico. No one is sure of what to make of it, with-"
"-Officials have stated that there was NO sign of a nuclear missile launch, and no approved testing of any high yield explosive weaponry. There's not much-"
"Authorities have issued a statement that the area is to be cordoned off to civilians, with military personnel taking charge of the ongoing investigation as to-"
"What exactly caused the massive explosion seen in the New Mexico desert? But more importantly, why are so many witnesses coming forth, with claims that the explosion was entirely blue? No one is-"
"Sure, there was a crater half a mile wide, but did we see anything that could have caused it? There's no radiation, no Trinitite, no evidence of a blast; Cathy, it's just a crater straight through the bedrock. Satellites we use for studying supernovas picked up a rise in heat of at least four hundred million degrees celsius! What the hell could even do that to just a half-mile of desert?!"
The passing images suddenly stopped, as Glossaryck stared at Star. Grenor was in complete awe at the aftermath, after just getting over his surprise at the images flashing by him. Star said nothing and only continued to glare at Glossaryck.
"You can't go after him just yet," he stated in a collected tone, betraying the alarm in his eyes, "What you did, I've never seen before, Star. If you were to go to that cave and do that, there's no telling what could happen."
"I don't care," she answered venomously. Her glare only intensified as she spoke. After coming straight here to collect Glossaryck, her dress was still singed and ragged at the bottom, with her hair putting a rats nest to shame.
"I'm very well aware of that. But you're outnumbered, injured, sleep-deprived, emotionally unstable, and honestly, you could use a bath," he finished, holding up five of his six fingers.
Star maintained her glare before standing up sharply, knocking her chair over as she leaned over the table, closer to Glossaryck. "I'm going, with or without your help. I just got him back, after ten YEARS of looking for him. That lizard's as good as dead."
Grennor glanced from one to the other before eyeing his wife before she could enter the room. She hurriedly turned around and left before he slowly leaned forward, taking Stars hand in his.
"Young lady, perhaps it would be wise to listen to your friend. If this 'Varteks' intentions were to obtain Marco, then there's little reason to suspect he would harm him," he calmly said, looking directly into her rage-filled eyes, "But, since I know you'll just go anyway, allow me to come with you. It's the least I could do to help after all that you and Marco have done for me."
Star took in a deep breath before letting it out slowly, finally donning a sincere smile. "Thank you Grenor, but this isn't something you can help me with. These guys? They're not like normal people. They have power like us, and they're not afraid to use it."
"And luckily, neither am I," she finished before taking a step back. collecting the spellbook in her hands she cut a portal with borrowed scissors and motioned for Glossaryck to follow. He shook his head in dismay before poofing out of existence, leaving Grennor and her alone.
"Thanks again for the help, Grennor. I owe you one. And I owe Vartek a little bit more," she finished, donning her glare once more before stepping through the portal and back into her bedroom.
Once through, she carefully hid the spellbook under her bed, knowing that if they had actually wanted it, they would have come for it by now. She stood up, cracked her back and looked around to make sure she was alone before smelling under her arm.
"Oh...gods that's bad," she muttered to herself. Maybe Glossaryck had a point. She had gone through hell and back in the last two hours, and she hadn't even stopped to so much as evaluate herself for injuries or trauma. How could she, anyway? Marco was out there, taking orders from Vartek of all people. He was injured, and gods only know what else. She didn't have time to worry about herself.
"Do you really think he'd accept that if he could see you right now?" Glossaryck asked, stepping out from her hair and onto her shoulder.
"He's not dead, Glossaryck. You can ask him how he feels about it after I get him back," she spat, stepping toward her closet to gather supplies, weapons, and armor. She swatted him off her shoulder, leaving him floating in midair, shaking his head as he followed her.
"All I'm saying is that the first thing he'd do right now is worry hand over foot about you and your wellbeing. You should take care of yourself, so you're better equipped to take care of him."
Star picked up a spiked mace and examined it carefully before shrugging and tossing it over her shoulder, narrowly missing Glossaryck. He audibly sighed in exasperation and pressed further.
"Look, Star. he's only been gone for a few hours. You've been awake for over thirty-seven, factoring in your journey on Vintal," Glossaryck pointed out, watching as she continued to examine her stash of weapons.
"Well, how was I supposed to know I'd get lost? I thought his house would be in the same place. Who moves an entire farm in a few weeks?" Truth be told, Star was exhausted. But she had a mission. Again. Marco needed her help, and there was no way she'd take a nap of all things while he was in trouble!
"Here's an idea," Glossaryck began, floating between Star and her weapons, "Go to your cabin on Vintal, get some sleep, take a shower for corn's sake, make some new clothes, burn the ones you're wearing, and then go after Vartek. You'll only spend a minute. That way you'll be ready for the fight this time."
Star continued sifting through her gear, ignoring Glossaryck completely. After another tossed piece of equipment, this time thankfully only a helmet, he spoke up again.
"Star, please. If you don't do it for me, please do it for him. He'd be devastated to see you like this. Give him something nice to see after his time under Varteks control."
This time, she paused in her search and weighed his words carefully. She slowly set down the sword she had been evaluating and sighed. "I just got him back. And now this? I can't keep doing this Glossaryck; it seems like every time we finally start to settle, the universe just dumps more garbage on us. I want to be happy and alone with him. Just, enjoying being a kid again, you know?"
"I know," Glossaryck sighed, "but right now isn't the time. You're not the same crazy girl that inherited the wand and burned down the kingdom. You two have been through more than any queen I've trained in the past. But be strong, kid. You have us."
Star wiped her nose on the tattered remains of her smelly, burned dress and stood up, giving Glosaryck a quick nod. "Okay, one day on Vintal. Then I'm going. Sound fair?" she asked, taking the scissors from her dress as she and her mentor exited the closet.
"Perfect. I have full confidence in you, Star. But if I may offer a piece of advice? Start with the shower. I'll go speak to the Blood Moon and see what she knows about Marcos condition. You remember the way from last time?" Star gave him a nod and cut open a red portal that shot sparks from its edges.
"Yeah. I'll be back in a minute. Good luck on your end, Glossaryck," she said with a hint of earnestness before stepping through the portal.
Once on the other side, she found the interior of her and Marcos old log cabin just as she had left it. Albeit, aside from the new layer of dust that occupied all flat surfaces available.
"Cabin sweet cabin," Star muttered before removing her badly damaged dress and tossing it into a heap in the corner. She took a quick shower, one as hot as it could be, before drying off and donning her usual nightgown. There wasn't much glamor in her routine this time around, as the solitude of her situation began setting in.
Marco wasn't there to talk to, or share a hot shower with, or ogle at, or to warm her bed. She was completely alone against the world for the first time since she arrived on Earth. At least in Hekapoos dimension he was still… there. And it stung worse than any of her cuts and bruises could ever hope to.
Star flopped lifelessly into bed and pulled the covers up to her neck before staring silently at the ceiling. Even the unusually comfortable fur blanket was less comforting without Marco by her side. She wanted to just fall asleep and wake up in a world where he wasn't gone, where he was still by her side, warming the bed, where she could laugh with him and enjoy life. But she'd only wake up in the same world she was in now.
She made to turn over to try and get some much-needed sleep, but a warm blue light shone from the window above her, illuminating the dark room. She tried to speak, but before any words would form, she heard a voice in her head, one as soft as silk and as beautiful as the night sky.
'You are lost without him, child. But he is not lost forever,' it soothed. Star frowned at the ceiling and answered in a less soothing tone.
"Uhh, duh? I'm gonna go get him as soon as I wake up. Right after the part where I destroy Vartek." There was a short pause in the otherwise silent room before she heard the voice speak once again.
'You are in for a great battle to return your lover to his own mind. He holds the power of my light, in addition to Varteks corrupted magic.'
Star sat up quickly, eyeing the window in shock as the radiant blue moon shone down on her. "Wait, what?! He gets two power-ups? How? How am I supposed to beat that?" Star asked frantically.
'Vartek cut into his body with that cursed blade, and filled it with corrupted magic, burning Marcos soul from his body. But do not fear. You have a powerful force on your side as well: you now carry the weight of both your own gift, and his.'
"You mean...I have Marco's magic too? How? Do I know karate? Can I sword fight like him? " The Blood moon didn't answer right away, but rather showed Star a glimpse of what happened last night. A soft fog seemed to roll through her room, lit up by shifting shafts of multicolored moonlight.
'When Vartek filled him with his broken, corrupted magic," she began, showing Star the haunting images of Marco being run through by Varteks scimitar, 'He forced Marcos soul out of his own body, unable to occupy the space alongside it.'
"Uh-huh, yeah, I remember that part," Star muttered quietly. She didn't need to be reminded of that moment ever again.
'When this happened, Vartek not only forced out the soul, but the gift of my light as well.' Star watched as the image of Marco was drained of its bluish color, and instead turned to a shade of teal she remembered well.
'Marcos body is no longer the vessel for the boy you are bonded to, but a husk filled with corrupted magic. Without a body, my gift to him now lies with you, until his soul can return. '
"Is that how I went berserk and like, kinda blew up the desert?" Star asked, now pressed up against the window, hoping to hear her own thoughts better.
'Yes. But be warned, when you wield such a power, you risk losing a part of yourself, and becoming something broken, and incomplete. You will be fighting a war against Vartek, and within yourself for control.'
"Well that reminds me of someone we know," Star muttered, sitting back down on the bed, "so how do I keep myself from losing...myself?"
This time there was no answer. As she looked up into the night sky, she found there was no blue moon bathing her in its aquamarine light. "Figures," she muttered, flopping back down into the bed, "no wonder she likes Glossaryck so much. Right when they get helpful, the get cryptic and blip out of existence."
After glancing to her right instinctively, expecting Marco to agree with her, she pulled the covers back over herself, rolling into a thick burrito of fur and blonde hair. "Goodnight Marco," she whispered to herself, falling into a heavy sleep like no other.
O - O - O - O - O - O - O - O - O
When Star awoke, she wasted no time jumping from the bed and grabbing her wand from the nightstand. With a quick twirl, she cast a Radiant Shadow Transform on herself, donning her Vintal armor, albeit a bit more filled than on Earth.
She took one last look around the once cozy and occupied space of the small cottage and frowned. She remembered well her only other stay here, and how she was now on the edge of losing that forever. She could feel her blood boiling at the very idea, but she inhaled sharply, held it in, and let it go.
"Don't lose your cool, girl. You got this. Just pop in, grab Marco, and pop out, no problem," she affirmed herself. The Blood Moons warning was still fresh on her mind, and the last thing she wanted was to end up like the man who did this to her.
She could also feel a slight sense of anxiety, like she was forgetting something about this voyage. She remembered well enough from last time where she should look, but there was something else hidden in the gaps in her memory. Shrugging it off, she cut open an orange portal and stepped through.
Once on the other side, she found herself standing in tall grass just to the side of a small mountain on Mewni. There wasn't much in the way of scenery here, mostly just barren land and some shrubs dotted here and there. But on the face of a cliff just at the base of the mountain, she could see two large wooden doors, braced with steel.
She remembered from last time how little effort it took to storm the cave and overpower the monster inhabitants, but this time there was no one outside. Just two wooden doors leading seemingly nowhere. Nodding in affirmation, she crouched low in the grass and looked down at her wand.
"Okay. Calm and collected wins the race. Just be chill, and take em down easy. No 'losing yourself,' no problem," she whispered to herself. She stood up and readied her wand, aiming the jewel directly for the two wooden doors as she approached.
"Nice and easy. Laser Beam Blast!"
The broken jewel glowed white hot with power, and Star was blasted back by the sheer amount of energy pouring from it. A massive beam of energy roared forward and like a drill, bored its way deep into the mountainside. Bits of rock and clouds of dust were flung everywhere, with the ground shaking violently beneath her feet.
When the beam finally died down, and the dust had settled, Star sat upright and let her mouth drop at the sight before her. Not only had the door been successfully eradicated, but the surrounding thirty feet of rock as well. There was now only a massive hole, sizzling and glowing orange where the rock had been removed.
Star looked down at her now smoking wand with wide eyes, then back to the new and improved entrance to the cave system.
"Hooookay, double magic packs one heck of a punch," she said in awe, "this is gonna be harder than I thought."
She collected herself and dusted off her armor before setting off for the massive, sizzling opening. Luckily, where the original hall had been, the floor was left unharmed, and therefore easy to walk on. But deeper into the cave, she could see green lights shrouded in darkness, and dotted shafts of lights streaking through.
There wasn't much in the way of noise, but she could at the very least make out a slight shuffling wherever the green lights were. 'Monsters,' she thought to herself as she crept closer. It wasn't until she got to the end of the long tunnel that she realized it wasn't fear making her jumpy. It was excitement.
It wasn't a relatively new feeling for her, obviously. She and Marco had charged headlong into battle dozens of times by now, with Star being beside herself at the prospect of fighting. But now, it felt different. It felt wrong, like it wasn't something she wanted to do, and she should be disgusted for being so willing to tear the enemy to pieces.
But at the same time, some part of her was screaming that these things were part of the reason why Marco was taken away, and therefore, needed to be destroyed. For whatever reason, be it a change she was warned about or her own age catching up, Star felt the need to oblige this primal urge.
Her assumption was proven correct when the first Turned charged forward from the darkness with shafts of light running over it's cracked skin. There were bits of clothing hanging from its body, unlike the ones she faced the night before. But other than that, it was just as ravenous as the others.
Star gripped the handle of her wand and slung it wide, shouting "Rainbow fist punch!" At her command, a massive fist of every color shot forward and decked the charging beast from under the chin, clotheslining it to the ground.
Star felt an unusual tingle at the base of her spine that traveled up her back as she rushed forward and changed her wand to a sword. It only grew in its electric stimulation as the edge of her blade lit up in blue flames. Without so much as a grunt, she twirled her blade around her fingers before plunging it down into the massive, burned, glowing chest of the monster beneath her.
She was about to jump back, preparing for it to regain its consciousness and charge after her, but the beast didn't stir. From where she had pulled her sword, the wound seemed to be sputtering blue flames of their own before it spread like wildfire across its body.
When the beast in its entirety had been reduced to little more than ash, Star felt that foreign feeling of exhilaration dancing across her chest. Not only did she enjoy killing this creature, she craved to do it again, like a bloodlust turned up to eleven.
"Okay, Star, real it back in girl, don't let it get to you. Just take it easy, and-"
The second creature finally stirred from the dark, roaring towards her like an off the rails train, but she didn't run, or even blink. She let a small smile creep across her lips as she stared it down. Once it was upon her, she merely ducked low and dragged the edge of her blade against its leg, forcing it down into a tumbling pile.
She strolled over to it casually, not even noticing the other creatures watching from the shadows, before pressing her burning blade against its throat. She felt giddy now, completely excited by the exchange, and still wanting more.
"I reeeeaaally wanna watch you burn. But first: you're gonna tell me where Marco is," she prompted, her voice silky smooth and her expression as calm as a summer breeze.
The Turned only struggled to regain its injured and burning footing, and began roaring incoherently at the teenage girl standing over it. Star nodded slowly before shrugging, dragging the edge of her blade across its skin before letting it fall back to the ground.
The Turned roared in anger, but it was raspy and interrupted by the blue fire spreading from its neck. Star watched it with satisfaction before turning back to face the other green lights in the room, a single shaft of light illuminating half of her face.
"Who's next?"
O - O - O - O - O - O - O - O - O
Vartek stood beside Ludo, seething with rage as he watched the display before him. His army of Turned soldiers stood in formation around Marco, all of them giving off a signature green light that lit up the massive cavern they now resided in.
But there was a problem. Marcos injuries burned a brilliant teal, a mix of both corrupt and purified magic, while the Turned soldiers remained unchanged. Even after completing the ritual perfectly, the carvings still adorning the walls and floor, his army was no closer to being perfect.
"Maybe we did something wrong," Ludo chided, folding his arms. Vartek didn't answer. He only glared at the boy who had forced his hand time and time again. Ludo coughed uncomfortably before asking "what now?" in a clearly unsure voice.
"I followed the ritual exactly. His magic should have purified them, but they remain as poisoned as ever," Vartek growled. "She must be behind this, if anything. Try increasing the flow. Maybe that will force her to give us her magic."
Ludo fidgeted uncomfortably, shifting his gaze from the creatures, to Marco, and back to Vartek. "Are you sure about that? The last thing we'd want is to break-"
"Ludo," Vartek interrupted, "if I ever wanted your professional opinion on something like this, I would ask for it. Am I perfectly clear?" he finished, turning to gaze into Ludos eyes directly. The small avian briefly nodded his head in affirmation before hurriedly lifting his wand. From the jagged stone, a stream of concentrated, corrupted magic spewed forth, enveloping Marco entirely.
But as soon as his teal fire was sufficiently covered, the screams began once more. His voice had grown hoarse since they began two hours ago, and right on schedule, the monsters around him answered the call with roars and cries of their own. It was a symphony of torment, and Ludo had to physically restrain himself from ending the process early. As his screams echoed off the cavern walls, Vartek could see a pair of teal, crescent-shaped cheek marks beginning to form beneath the bubble of corrupted magic.
After a minute of cacophonic screams went by, however, he finally allowed himself to dial back his magic. Like a cursed water balloon, Marcos' teal flames burst through the thinning layer of toxic magic, pouring upwards into the empty air. But Vartek wasn't satisfied.
He stepped forward, walking through the rows of monsters before stopping in front of Marco, the boys black, soulless eyes shining with a pinprick of green light.
"How are you feeling, boy?" Vartek asked in a nearly paternal tone of voice. In truth, he didn't care for Marcos wellbeing, but rather perfecting the process as carefully as possible. They only had two batteries to spare, after all.
"I feel...fine," Marco whispered, not moving a muscle. "Want...to see...Star."
Vartek shook his head and took a step back. "When my spell has been perfected, when you can fuel my army, I can promise that the two of you will be reunited forever," he said, a villainous smile growing on his face.
Marco stared blankly ahead, his eyes still wide open as a similar grin spread across his own face. "I will... end her. I am...getting stronger."
Vartek actually laughed at that, stepping out of the circle before motioning for Ludo to continue. "Maybe all this juice you're absorbing will help the both of us then. She'll be alllll yours for the taking," he finished, crossing his arms with a satisfied smirk.
Ludo made to begin the process once again, but just behind them, the sound of a tear forming sent them both into alarm. They whirled around, expecting to find a portal, with even Marco directing his attention their way, but they only saw a purplish window of dark magic. And at its center was a very familiar face.
Star stood just on the other side of the window at their old base of operation, dressed in her Vintal battle armor, and glaring so intensely, they could almost feel her eyes burning holes into theirs. Vartek donned a grin and stepped forward, gesturing to the scene behind him.
"We're a little bit busy here, Butterfly. Why don't you come back in say, a day, and I'll give the boy back?" There was a copious amount of sarcasm in his voice, but Star was far beyond any level of amusement. She had since dropped any semblance of calm and collected when she took on his Turned soldiers.
"Vartek. You have exactly ten seconds to tell me where you are, or I will personally come down there, and RIP YOUR HEART FROM YOUR CHEST," she seethed. Vartek let his smile waver slightly as he gestured to the boy behind him.
"Why would I do that? I have everything I need here, and if I remember correctly, you lost the last battle."
"You ran like a coward. I would have finished what you started then and there. Now give Marco back, NOW!" Her voice boomed throughout the cavern, making even the Turned shiver under the weight of her words.
Behind her, Ludo could see his old cave, except now it was littered with charred remains, and scorched from top to bottom. And in the distance, he could make out the old entrance, now a sizzling, open hole cut straight through sixty feet of rock, its edges still glowing with heat.
Vartek stepped over to Marco, placing his hands on the boys' shoulders. Marcos jacket had since been badly burned, with the ever-present hole in his shirt still blazing through. "And what makes you think there's anything of him left for me to give? You failed, Butterfly."
Stars cheek marks began to glow white as she pressed further, glaring at Vartek directly. Her mind was screaming at her to calm down, but her anger only flowed hotter. "I am going to rip your still-beating heart from your broken chest! What could have been worth your life, to consider taking my Marco away!?" She spoke those words with such icy conviction, Vartek had a hard time maintaining his satisfied expression.
"Ah yes, allow me to illustrate my entire plan for you, since you've asked. If there's nothing else? I think I'd like to get back to hearing him scream."
Star, already past her breaking point, just stared at the charred, soulless boy before her. Vartek stepped around him and stood beside Ludo, smiling sadistically at her. But she wasn't smiling back. She frowned hard at them and closed her eyes, letting blue flames roll up into her hair as her cheek marks changed from pure white to a deep, cold aquamarine.
When she opened her eyes, they were just as blue, and shining like the full moon. Without a word, she pressed her hand against the clear shean that divided the two spaces and breathed out, slowly pushing her hand through.
"Please," Vartek laughed, stepping closer to the window, just out of her reach. "I've seen your very own records. The farthest you ever made it was your elbow, girl. Don't flatter yourself with another foolish attempt at-" He was cut off by a hand reaching out and grabbing his throat, the arm up to the shoulder in the windowed portal.
"What?" he choked, gripping her wrist as he reached for his blade. But before he could reach the hilt, Stars other hand flew through the portal, trailing a line of indigo flames to connect with Varteks cheek, bursting like a grenade on impact.
The blast sent him careening to the other side of the cave, cracking the walls in the impact as Star stepped through the portal, her eyes glowing brighter, and her hair now blazing in an inferno of blue.
"Impossible!" Vartek grunted, wiping the purple blood from his lip. Star only grinned maniacally in her enraged state, pulling her wand blade from its sheath at her hip.
"That felt, really good," she muttered, the now navy blue fire spreading down her arms. Ludo, shaking himself from the stupor of surprise screamed proudly and sent a volley of toxic spells her way. But with a raised hand, a wall of azure magic formed and stopped each of them.
"WHAT? HOW COULD YOU-" Ludo began before a steaming armored boot slammed into his midsection. With a deep, guttural grunt, he flew to the far side of the cave and smashed hard into the wall.
He shook his head to clear the fog from his vision, and glanced back up at the girl who was now overflowing with power. Something was different about her. But either due to the concussive force of her boot, or his already drained state, he couldn't tell what it was.
"Ludo, Vartek," Star began, her voice icy and a misleading, angry grin spread across her face, "You have no idea, how pissed off I am right now. So save your energy, and take a good, looong look at what I'll do to you, after I'm done getting my boyfriend back."
She took a step forward, earning the attention of every Turned monster in sight. Under any other circumstances, she'd be grossly outnumbered and overrun, but with the combined force of her Magic and Marcos, she couldn't help but feel giddy.
The first creature to test her metal ran up, and was quickly dispatched with a slice across its chest. Azure flames poured from the wound and spread across its body, turning it to ash before it even hit the ground, leaving Star with her next opponent. It rushed forward and made to rake its claws across her face, but she grabbed the massive hand and cracked its wrist like sticks of spaghetti. The beast howled in pain, and within seconds of Stars blade digging into its arm, the flames danced across its skin, reducing it to the same fate as its fallen comrade
Star rushed forward and kicked another monster across the jaw, snapping muscles and bones in its neck before driving her sword down its throat. The next beast lunged for her, but after removing her blade and turning to give it a curt smile, she sliced straight through it, down the collarbone and out through the hip. "Come on!" She screamed in encouragement, "Give your rebel princess a real challenge!"
Two more monsters made to rush her, but Star was getting bored. She concentrated on the anger boiling beneath the surface until a sphere of candescent blue light began to form around her. The Turned began rushing for the girl tearing them apart, but they were vaporized as soon as they crossed its threshold. Star turned around and glared at Vartek, who could only watch as she forced both palms outward.
The sphere of burning magic grew rapidly like a shockwave, turning every Turned solder to ash as it passed over Marco and the two masterminds of this nightmare. Vartek was stunned, his eyes wide and his mouth contorted into a permanent growl as more purple blood oozed from his healing face.
Star only grinned at them as the lives of the monsters around her were cut shorter, snuffed into nothing by the magic in her hands. Once upon a time, she'd have been torn apart by the act of ending a monsters life. Their families, their potential, their hopes and dreams, all cut short. But now, she only rationalized that they were as innocent as Vartek, and the world was better off without them.
She smiled at Vartek once again, flipping her hair back over her shoulder as she took a step closer to Marco. "Never forget, Vartek: I'm the royalty here. I'm the one who decides what happens in my kingdom. This here? This is MY land. Those are MY people. And that boy, is MINE. Never, EVER forget that," she finished, Varteks anger boiling at the ever-familiar tone of a cocky Mewman brat.
"I'm done bowing down to every creep that tries to take advantage of my kingdom," she continued, the flames on her body now enveloping her just above her skin, "Now I'm taking back what belongs to me."
She took a step towards Marco, but Vartek stood up and glared daggers in her direction. "You think you've won, girl? I am the most powerful monster that ever, and will ever exist! You will all burn under my blade! And your kind will feel the sting it so richly deserves! Marco!" he shouted, now addressing the boy by name. "Destroy the girl, and hold nothing back. Make her and the rest of her kind beg for mercy!"
Marco turned to face her so quickly, she almost heard a snap. A wide grin spread across his face, and his eyes narrowed as he pulled his scissors from his pocket.
Star stopped cold in her tracks and gripped her blade, watching as Marco swung his, letting it grow into a full longsword, burning at the edge with teal magic.
"Marco," she warned, dropping into a ready stance, "if you can hear me, you have to fight him. His spell isn't finished, we can fix you. You don't want to do this."
Marco took a step closer to her, his shoes burning scorched steps into the carved rock beneath them. "You say that, Stardust, but I gotta say, I reeeaaally do," he chuckled, his words venomous through his thick smile.
Star felt a cold chill run down her spine. Hearing him talk was something she wasn't ready for. He was supposed to be a mindless drone like the rest. A puppet. But here it was, using Marcos voice to speak to her.. His voice was jagged, like he'd been screaming for hours, and there was a sinister intent behind it.
She said nothing, and let the burning magic around her sink back, flowing into her wand. Marco took that as a green light and lurched forward, his wrist turning on its own to swing his blade for her neck in wild, lightning-fast swings. Star blocked each strike, sending a flare of fire out from her body with each connection.
Marco awkwardly ducked low like a spider and made to kick her legs out from under her, but she wasn't going to give him the chance. She shifted her sword back into a wand and blasted a multicolored fist straight down onto his back, cracking the ground beneath them.
"Let Marco go!" she yelled across the cavern. She was expecting Vartek to retort in some sarcastic way, but she was surprised to see his expression was one of genuine awe. Looking down, she noticed why.
Marco rose from the cracked stone and dusted off his torn jacket, giving Star a curious look. "But, I'm right here, Star. What's wrong?" he asked sincerely.
Star felt her magic falter as she stammered to answer, but a hard kick to the chest sent her flying back and into the wall. Marco lowered his leg and strode towards her, once again smiling from ear to ear. She mentally slapped herself for thinking for a second that this was her Marco, and not some puppet.
"Why do you look so mad, Star?" he asked, using his sincere voice again. "I thought you wanted to fight me. Did I do something wrong?"
Star glared at him and shook her head, forcing her feelings back down as her anger continued to fuel her power. "You're not Marco. You're not Marco," she repeated to herself as she shifted her wand to its sword form. She rushed forward and feigned a strike for his right, only to continue her charge and bash her elbow into his jaw.
When he reeled back, she pointed the tip of her blade for his chest and yelled "Strawberry Shake Quake!" sending a powerful stream of strawberries forward, blasting him back into the wall of the cave.
'Marco would have portaled or dodged that. So this thing probably doesn't know how to fight like him,' she reasoned. It made things easier, but it only left her with her next problem: how was she going to change him back? She could try stabbing him and recreating what Vartek did, but too much could go wrong with that.
Before she could come up with an idea of getting him back, Marco called out from the crater in the wall he had just helped create. "Ya know, Star, that actually kind of hurt. Do you think you could tone it down a little?" he asked as he jumped down to the floor, smiling at her with his empty eyes.
"Only when I have my boyfriend back," She answered shortly, "until then, you're out of luck, and those two are mincemeat."
Ludo took a quiet step behind Vartek, who continued to watch the display with a mix of awe, and pride. Marco cracked his neck and readied his blade again, circling Star slowly as he spoke.
"Star, c'mon, you're seriously that mad about something I did? Just put the sword down and we can talk about it."
Star took in a deep breath, feeling the immense surge of anger that arose every time this creature spoke in Marcos voice. Her hair lit ablaze once again, its icy blue flames licking the air as it spread down her back. "There's nothing to talk about, poser, you're not Marco, and I will die a happy woman knowing that something as fucked up as you will never exist again."
Star surged forward and shifted her wand into a massive pink mallet, ready to swing for Marcos gut. He had seen this attack before and readied his sword. When she made to swing, Marco wasted to time in slicing through the shaft, cleavin the hammer in two. But both halves clattered noisily to the ground as Star surprised him by sending him staggering with a grenade uppercut. His gaze was locked to the ceiling as Star twirled around him and send an elbow down on his chest, forcing his floating body to the ground hard.
She made to charge for Ludo and Vartek, but Marco grabbed her leg, pulling her back and sending her to the ground. "Not so fast, Star. We aren't done playing yet," he sang before pulling her, swinging her around him. When he reached a sufficient speed, he let go, sending her flying.
Before she could recover, Marco reeled back his sword and jutted it forward, firing a massive beam of teal magic that only grew with each passing second. Star was lost in the ground shattering explosion that followed, sending dust and debris in every direction.
When the smoke began to clear, she charged out from the scorched wall, wand in hand. "What?!" he yelled, looking back to the ground, "When did you-"
"Grabbed it when you were playing ring around the rosey, Poser. Next time," she began, swinging her wand wide and sending a three foot wide ball of blue shimmering light his way, "dont be as stupid as the lizard over there!"
Marco staggered back as the orb was shot his way, displacing the air around it. Star kept running for him, watching as he readied his sword. She figured he meant to cut through it, giving her an opening, but when he swung, she was surprised to see it was far too early, opening a teal portal before him.
Star skidded to a halt when she heard the telltale tearing sound beside her. She turned to face it just as the orb flew out of the teal portal, right for her. Marco watched with a grin of excitement adorning his face, but Star had officially had enough of this. She furrowed her brows and leaned into the attack, concentrating all of her anger as she caught it against her body. Her hair flared in violent blue flames and she struggled to control the orb, grunting in frustration. Marco charged forward when he saw that she was undeterred, raring to make sure she took the hit.
But Star was ready for him. She struggled against the ball of concentrated magic, forcing it against her hands until it split like a bubble and engulfed them with its two halves. Marco swung his blade for her throat, but Star ducked low under it, catching Marcos eye with a piercing glare. In one fluid motion, she weaved around his moving body, and sent a magically charged haymaker into his face.
The first orb blasted him back into the wall, cracking it under the force, but he wasn't going down that easy. He charged Star again, his left arm bent at an awkward angle. She figured it was broken, but she was too focused on his next attack to care. He made a wild, predictable swing for her, his swords edge burning with teal flames as he grinned madly.
Star didn't flinch, instead leaning into the strike. She let a wave of anger envelop her, concentrating on her right hand as it lit up in blue fire. Gritting her teeth, she caught the blade in her hand, letting his teal flames wash over her harmlessly. She glared at him and screamed madly as she pulled the blade past her, jerking closer.
Marcos expression went from surprise, to fear as she buried her left, orb-enhanced fist into his gut. She heard ribs crack under the force as Marco was sent flying backwards in a ball of fire.
He skidded to a stop on his back, clutching his broken ribs as Star strolled closer, pointing his own sword at him as it rolled with blue flames once again. He sputtered up blood with a cough, looking up at her with confused eyes. In his sincere voice, he asked "Star, why do you hate me?"
She exhaled sharply through the nose, shaking her head. "I don't hate you. You just disgust me. You aren't worth hating," she spat.
Marco growled and reached for his sword, gripping its sharp, flaming edge desperately. Star was too stunned to react fast enough as the blue flames seemed to burn into his hand as he was cut. He reeled back from the pain, wrenching his sword from Stars grasp. With a quick spin, he kicked her back several steps before charging towards her with murderous intent.
Vartek stood carefully and began drawing his blade, but decided against it. His army was ash after one strike, and his plan was falling apart. But there was still one option left. Without a word, he leaned over to Ludo and whispered something to him. Ludo nodded with uncertainty written across his face, and promptly cut a portal, escaping into it.
Star ducked under the flaming green blade and kicked Marco back, morphing her wand into a hammer before slamming it against him, sending him flying into the wall of the cavern.
"Vartek! Let him go NOW!" she bellowed, taking a step toward him. But Marco was already there waiting. He leaned forward and brushed the dust out of his hair, smiling at Star like a proud kid. "Hey, I'm right here Star, don't worry," he chided before ducking low and delivering a ground-shaking punch to her midsection. Star grunted and staggered back as Marco approached slowly, the same smile still plastered on his face.
Vartek stepped forward, marveling at his creation as his crooked grin returned with his upper hand. "You see, Butterfly, this is what the Spell of the Turned was meant to be. You can't beat him, and he knows all of your weaknesses."
Star glared at him, tossing a quick glance at Marco before speaking. "I don't care what you think your spell did. I'm still going to rip you to pieces," she muttered. Vartek actually laughed aloud and gestured to Marco, stepping back to avoid them. "Of course. Show me that fire in your heart! It'll make no difference against him! He's invulnerable, and contains the sum of his magic and my own! What do you bring to the table besides tears and a bloodline of murderers?"
Star changed her sword back into a wand wordlessly, staring at Vartek through Marco. She remembered what the Blood Moon said about losing herself, but as far as she was concerned, the old Star Butterfly was lost in Hekapoos dimension. "I bring him," she said quietly, letting a wave of anger and pain wash over her, flooding the room with blue light and washing her body in azure flames.
"And you, Vartek, you're in the way of that."
As she let those words flow through her lips, her cheek marks turned a deep navy blue. Her hair rolled with flames of the same color, and without so much as a second glance, she waved her hand in Varteks direction, sending a burst of charged blue magic forward. It Blasted Vartek back against the wall, leaving her and Marco at the center of the room.
"And you," she whispered to the shell of the boy she loved, "I don't know what you are, but imma beat you into the ground, until you let Marco go."
She rushed forward with blinding speed and punched Marco across the jaw, sending him reeling. But before he could hit the ground, she grabbed his ankle and spun him around her body and up into the air. Vartek watched as Marco was slung into the air like a bullet, colliding with the cavernous ceiling, and breaking through the layer of rocks.
Star wasted no time, however, and with a wave of her wand, sent a volley of blue, pulsating orbs rocketing for the roof of the cavern. But as they flew up, she could swear Marco was smiling directly at her, as if he was looking straight through her attack.
The explosion rocked the cave as the orbs obliterated more of the ceiling one after another. Massive boulders and stalactites rained down as Marcos battered and broken body was hurled to the ground in a heap. He laid there, struggling for a moment to regain his footing and nursing a mending, broken arm.
Star turned her cold, furious stare to Vartek and threw a punch into the open air between them. The septarian warrior didn't flinch, but was overwhelmingly surprised to feel the rush of blue flames in the shape of a fist collide with his ribs and blast him back against the wall.
Star didn't even look around before leaning back to avoid Marcos blade swinging down in front of her and carving through the rock. She grabbed his collar and threw him back against the wall with such force, this time when his body crumpled to the ground, he didn't move. Star let a smirk creep across her face as she pitched, "You have no idea what you're up against," to Vartek. He spit purple blood to the rocks beneath him and stood slowly, eyeing her back.
"And you think you've won? I'll burn your body to dust and give you a kingdom to match!" He bellowed. But it was short-lived, as Star rushed forward, driving a knee hard into his chest. She felt bones crack as the wall behind him crumpled like glass, filled with waves of blue fire.
Vartek lurched forward, his body crumpled under the weight of her strike, but she was just getting warmed up. She leaned forward, whispering into the septarians ear as she held a fist in front of his face. "Give. Marco. Back. Now."
She expected him to finally relent, to just give up. He had no chance of beating her like this. She felt unstoppable, like all the magic in the universe was in the palm of her hand. She felt like a god. But like a non-believer, Vartek looked up at her and smiled, the bones in his chest mending with each passing second.
"You can have that boy back over his own dead body," he said, punctuating it by driving his sword up to her chest. But the blade didn't connect. It stopped just shy of her armor, the blue flames around her body keeping it a safe distance away. Star looked down at the blade, then back to Vartek before donning a satisfied smirk. There was a blur of purple crystalline movement, and his only remaining blade shattered to pieces by her own.
"Vartek, you don't look so good, let's get you some sunlight," she chided before grabbing his wrist and hurling him up at the ceiling of the cavern. Once she heard the satisfied crack of both rock and bone alike, she aimed her wand up at him let all the, rage, sadness, and sorrow flood into it. A small ball of blue light formed, cackling with energy before she swung the wand around and lobbed it straight up.
Vartek gawked as the orb shot forward at breakneck speeds, growing with each passing second until it collided with his chest. The orb didn't stop, however, but simply blasted a wide ring of blinding energy right through him, vaporizing everything from the roof of the cave to the surface.
After the beam died down to only hot, displaced air, Star watched carefully as Vartek fell limply to the ground, a new hole burned into his chest and a ray of sun pouring down from the new skylight.
"Look at that, much better," she muttered, unamused. "You know what I like most about you Vartek?"
He slowly began to pick himself up on his hands and knees, his teeth grit in rage and his chest slowly healing to close the wound. When he didn't answer, Star continued.
"You just don't know when to give up. I like that a lot," she mused, walking over to him and extending an open palm, letting a ripple of magic force him back to the ground. "No matter how many times you fail, you just keep. Coming. Back." With each word, she pushed him further into the stone below, hearing bones begin to crack as he remained silent.
"Doesn't matter how you lose, or what you do. When you fail, you just always come back and try again. It reminds me of Marco, in some ways."
Vartek struggled against the blue magic crushing him down, but slowly turned his head to look up at Star. She still had a satisfied smile on her face, but the rest of her expression spelled anger. She slowly reached her free hand down, and with a small flick of her wrist, let a wisp of magic creep its way down to his chest.
"I made you a promise, didn't I Vartek?" she asked coyly as the wisp began burrowing itself through his armor and into his chest.
"You. Can't...kill…me," he managed to grunt. Star nodded slowly before releasing the pressure on him if only slightly, as she reached her goal. With some added effort on her part, she slowly pulled a mass of purple, beating flesh from his chest, letting it's sinew and veins snap back into place one by one.
Although Star stopped resembling any aspect of her normal self the moment she set foot in that cave on Mewni, she leaned forward and gave him a coy grin. "This is what it feels like, when people like you take him from me," she whispered.
"I...won't...die…" Vartek sputtered through the blood in his mouth.
"You know better than anyone how easily I could kill a septarian. What makes you any different?" She asked rhetorically.
Vartek managed a bleeding smile and pointed his arm behind her, his joints popping as he did. "Him."
Star furrowed her brow and turned around, expecting to see Marco rearing for round two, but instead, she saw Ludo, holding a jagged blue rock, with edges so sharp he struggled not to cut himself holding it.
"Him?" She asked, a chuckle in her voice, "What, he's gonna throw a sharp rock at me and you'll take over Mewni?"
"The Severing Stone isn't for you, and I'm going to destroy Mewni, but yes, that's the general idea" Vartek answered. Star gave him a confused look before turning back to Ludo. He looked devoid of any emotion, save for his anxious expression. He ignored their exchange, and stepped over to Marco.
The boy was still healing his battered body as Ludo knelt before him, whispering to the Severing Stone, whatever that was. Star let the pressure off of Vartek and strolled closer to Ludo, a new frown between her cheeks.
"Ludo, leave him alone. Drop the rock, and get out of here. This is your last warning," she suggested. But he paid her no mind. He finished whispering to the stone, which began glowing several different colors before stopping on green.
He looked up to Star with a conflicted expression and shook his head, making her stop. "I never wanted any of this. I just want to rule what's rightfully mine. I'm sorry," he whispered to her before Marco grunted and curled into a tight-nit ball, the bones in his arms and legs cracking under the pressure.
Star made to sprint for Ludo and end him on the spot, but a small ball of light emerged from Marcos chest. It was a deep teal color, and it was thrashing violently, like a bubble fighting to keep its form. It hovered just above him for a few seconds before zipping across the room and zapping itself into an elongated crystal in Varteks hand.
It changed colors to match the balls teal hue before Vartek quickly stowed it in his armor. Glaring at Star, he summoned Ludo to cut a portal beside them as the wound in his chest struggled to heal. "I have what I need, girl. Take what's left if you can. If not, maybe you and I won't be so different after all," he snarled.
Without another word, the two stepped into the portal and disappeared from view. Star wanted to chase after them, but a feeling in her gut told her to check on Marco first. She rushed over to him and knelt over his curled body, and she nearly lost her breath at the sight.
He was badly injured, with his wounds no longer working to mend. His skin was now three shades paler than normal, and getting worse by the second. "M-Marco? Are you in there?" She asked nervously.
He was silent to the world. Star checked for a pulse, or even a sign of his breathing but found nothing. "Marco! Wake up! Please!" She yelled, grabbing his jacket and shaking him gently. Besides a few sickening cracks, there was no stir.
"Please! Marco, come on! I need you!" She shrieked. He couldn't be gone. She was so close to getting him back, and now he was fading from her world entirely. She pulled him closer into a hug and sobbed, rocking back and forth with the love of her life in her arms.
"They took the magic from his body. His soul can return, but you have to guide it back, my child," a soothing voice said from all corners of the room. Star looked up desperately, scanning the room for any sign of the Blood Moon Goddess. There was a single shaft of blue light flowing down from the roof of the cavern, illuminating a small circle on the floor.
"Please, you have to help him! He's dying, I need you to do something!" Star yelled desperately. She pulled Marcos body to the center of the room and laid him down, the shaft of light settling on his chest.
"I cannot. Only his bondmate can guide his soul back to his body. Only you have that power."
Star stared up at the ceiling, letting the words sink in. She looked back down at Marco, whose skin was growing paler by the second. His wound, now illuminated by the moonlight, was still fresh and trickled with a small amount of residual blood for the first time. Star nodded slowly, her face stiff with concern.
Without so much as a word, she slowly placed her hands on Marcos chest and concentrated, hoping it would help. "What do I do?" She asked anxiously, watching his face for any sign of a reaction.
"You have to return what was given to you. I shall show you how."
Star stared ahead, locked in deep concentration as the moons soft words drifted to her ears. After a moment, she nodded and looked back down to Marco. She closed her eyes and focused on her own heartbeat, willing his body to match it as her head was flooded with blissful and calming memories the two had made together. Then she spoke.
"In the light of the Moon, I give you my promise.To return what was given, and bring you solace.Hear my voice as I beckon you home,Find your way to me, from wherever you roam."
She opened her eyes and took her hands off his chest waiting for something to happen. He didn't stir, but in the middle of his chest, she saw movement. The circle of light seemed to be dancing around some sort of shadow, drawing her attention skyward. From the hole in the ceiling, a small blue orb floated gently down, carefully stopping just above his chest before sinking slowly inside his wound.
Star felt an icy chill run down her body as she watched a blue haze manifest on her skin. It hovered there for a moment before it rolled to Marco like a fog, beginning to sink down into his body. She knew that it must have been his magic returning to his body, and a small part of her remained conflicted over the exchange.
She would no longer wield unbelievable power, nor would she be nigh unstoppable in the face of evil. She would be just as powerless as she was when she lost him. But that was fine. As long as she had Marco, everything would be fine. So she brushed off the anger and pain from before, and let it give way to hope and love for the man she was destined to rule with.
As the haze dissipated, she watched as a small tuft of blue flame rolled along his wound, healing it wherever it touched his skin. The next part wasn't as mesmerizing, as she heard loud cracks of his bones mending back together, steam rising from his arms, legs, and torso. But after a few moments, he slowly opened his eyes, drawing in a loud gasp and scrambling to look around frantically.
"Wha- where am I? What happened! Who- Gaaahhhhhh!" He yelled, covering his eyes to shield them from the piercing light around him. Star wasted no time in dragging him into a tight hug, nearly squeezing the life out of him. He struggled against her for a moment, but after he realized whos soft skin it was against his, he calmed down.
"S-star? Is that...you? What's going on?" He asked before going into a coughing fit over his sore throat. Star eased up on her hug and smiled at him, fresh tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "I thought I lost you," she stammered, nearly getting choked up at the sight of him, back to normal.
"I was so scared... you died, Marco. And you were some puppet for Vartek, and you tried to kill me, and then you were dying, and-" she stopped, wiping away tears that ran through the dirt on her cheeks. "I'm just so glad you're alright," she whispered, pulling him back into a tight hug.
"Star…" he began to say before realizing he wasn't hugging her back. He corrected that immediately by wrapping his arms over her shoulders and pulling her closer. "Thank you...so much. I love you," he finished.
Star nodded into his shoulder and squeezed him tighter, not wanting to ever let go. "I love you too, Marco Diaz. Thanks for coming back to me."
The two enjoyed a few more minutes of long-overdue hugging, unaware that the shaft of moonlight had long since dissipated above them. Marco leaned back and looked around, completely taken aback by every detail. From the scorched ground, to the broken walls, to his burned clothes, nothing about this made sense.
"Star, we need to talk to Glossaryck, right now," he whispered. She gave him a confused look before asking "Why? Did something go wrong with the spell?"
Marco shook his head and locked eyes with her, but his expression was more worry than fear. "While I was...out there…Merina told me something. We need to talk to Glossaryck and the Blood Moon as soon as we can."
Star nodded solemnly, disappointed that their reunion was cut short by more business as usual. "Alright, but right after, you're staying home to finish healing. You uhh, took a beating."
"Yeah, it feels like I got hit by a train," he mumbled, rubbing his jaw, "What happened?"
"Uhmmm, I'll tell you later," she answered shortly before helping him to his feet. "C'mon. Let's get you home. You're parents think you spent the night at Fergussons."
Marco nodded, putting some of his weight on her shoulder as the two made their way to his abandoned sword. He let them shrink back down to their scissor form before cutting open a portal of both blue and pink, the two battered teens stepping through, finally heading home.
To be Continued in: School daze
~Star and Marco recover from their most recent run in with a lizard baddie, but they will soon find out that Vartek is the least of their worries.
~Vartek, growing increasingly frustrated with his plans, introduces Ludo to his old partner.
AUTHORS NOTE
Whew. That was a lot. Four chapters of straight up crazy and I cannot wait to jump into some more. Sorry for any errors in there that are glaringly obvious. FF is glitching out BAD, so some of my editorial revisions may have made it through to the final process. Idk why, but Google docs is giving FF like, mixed versions of both the rough draft, and the final process. Fucking weird. But anyways:
What did Merina tell Marco? What did Ludo do to Marco? What does the future hold for Mewni? And it's biggest threat? Ehh, probably not gonna tell you all of that next chapter, but stay tuned to find out! Thank you all for your support, reviews, and suggestions. I'm thrilled that so many of you like this story that started out as a trial and error mess. Hopefully, I can keep getting better at telling it!
In other news, I'm working with user Lord Cornwalis on a new story called: The Once and Future Queen. It'll be out soon, so keep an eye open for it! I can promise you it's gonna be your new favorite! Anywho, until next time you beautiful human beings! BUH BYYYEEE!
~Mr. Ronald Reagan