Forgotten Ventures

by Ronald reagan

If you could go back two years in your life, and you could remember everything, what would you change? When Marco Diaz wakes up in his old bedroom, with memories of events that haven't come to pass, he finds out that some things should stay the same. And that some things will change on their own. Rated M for language, violent scenes, and some spicy stuff.

48. Rock of Ages

Vartek was walking, but for how long he had been doing so, or what had come before the sudden journey, there was no memory to aid him. He remembered that first step out of a darkness so empty it might have been a vacuum, and then he was home. He had some memory of his home lying in ruins, but given the sight of it standing proud before him, he brushed it off as a passing thought. The sun blazed above him amidst a pink atmosphere, and a cool breeze fluttered through the air with the scent of...what was that? He remembered knowing, but for now, he didn't care. Vartek finally stopped walking, from wherever he had left, and stood at the entrance to his manor, the stone gates adorned with intricate inlays of carved vine and traditional monster art.

Just about the only thing he really liked about the property itself. It was given to him by his Father-in-law after he and Merina were...betrothed under the light of the Blood Moon. He'd have been happy living in his swamp, or anywhere less populated, but Merina insisted on giving it a try with him, and he had agreed if only to make her happy.

In Varteks eyes, it was gaudy, pompous, and pretentious with too many rooms, servants, and useless gardens meant for nothing less than impressing those he cared nothing about. 'But...Merina likes the Garden,' he mused, making his way through the stone gate of his land. She took good care of the garden, as her father had instructed when he gave the home to them, and under her care, it flourished with dozens of plants that made a canvas of the otherwise poor soil.

Vartek couldn't help but smile as he walked along the grounds of his excessive home, the mere thought of Merina's affinity for nature magic soothing his otherwise annoyed spirit.

His father in law may have had terrible taste in everything but location. At this time of day, the Jadebirds sang harmonious songs from every corner of the city, and the crisp air drifting from the Butterfly kingdom brought the sweet smell of corn and other crops. It was his second favorite thing in all of Mewni, and perhaps the universe beyond.

His first, was easily the woman approaching him from the garden.

"Var, you're doing that thing again, love. Where you stand there and smile because of the afternoon being 'just so beautiful,' she finished in a mockingly deep voice. Her freckle-speckled cheeks stretched into a wide grin as she stood before him, looking up at his amused face. "You're good, Merina, but not that good," Vartek chuckled, resting his hands on his hips just above his scimitars, "I was actually thinking about how awful this house is despite the beautiful afternoon. I can think of several caves I'd prefer over this grand, senseless display of power."

"Booooo," Merina grumbled, rolling her eyes. "You know as well as I do what you really wanted, and I'll be damned if we're living in a swamp, love."

Vartek couldn't suppress his grin any longer and burst into a fit of laughter. She knew how to get him fired up with the very idea of living with his family in his old swamp. "Hahaa, you have no idea how much better Swamp houses are! Imagine it," he began, pulling Merina to his side and waving an outstretched hand around him, "cool, refreshing rivers! Warm afternoons year-round! An abundance of wildlife! Ha! Silva would adore fighting with the crocodiles and snakes! Just like her father!"

"Booooo," Merina pouted at the very idea.

"Bah! You'll come around one day! I assure you, swamp life is the very best Mewni has to offer." Vartek gave her a confident grin, flashing a sharp reptilian smile, but Merina was undeterred, giving him a meek nod. "Whatever you say, love. But you know Silva takes more after me."

"BAAAH! She casts one spell and suddenly she's your carbon copy! I promise you, give her a couple more years and she'll be wielding swords like her old man!"

The two eyed each other in another one of their usual skirmishes, but it was Merina who broke first, letting her lips curl into a wide grin. She snorted, slugging Vartek on the arm as he joined her in laughter. He missed this. Just the two of them without any world-ending foes to beat, and nothing but the warm sun and laughter to fill the air. "Merina…" Vartek whispered, pulling her into a tight embrace. She met his gaze with sapphire blue eyes amidst a slew of forest green hair.

"I love you, more than life itself. I would do anything for you…" he breathed, gently brushing the side of her face. She smiled up at him, holding his hand in hers as she whispered back, "You would say anything to carry me back to our castle to claim your plunder."

He grinned, donning an overly contralto voice as he shot back "Please grant me permission to view the glittering hoard… No. I'm more of a 'go forth and take it kind of man."

"Only if you behave, love," Merina sang to his ear, running her hand down the side of his armor, "but you lost that chance when you let her take me."

Vartek had been so enraptured by the beauty before him, he almost missed what she had said. He started, pulling his hands back only slightly as Merina continued to smile at him. "I died, begging for you to save me...and you couldn't. Could you?"

Vartek pulled away from her as the wind stopped. The birds had fallen silent, and even the rays of the sun seemed cold as Merina folded her hands and shook her head.

"What is this? What...what are you? Where is Silva?!" Vartek demanded. There was no way that was Merina, there was no way she was real. But the fake shrugged, finally dropping her smile for a look of genuine curiosity. "How should I know? You abandoned her after you let. Me. Die."

"Losing you...it drove me insane, Merina," Vartek found himself breathing, but they didn't truly feel like his words, "And what I did to myself, teging to bring you back, it only stole what little sanity I had left…"

His manor was suddenly ripped open from the inside, a hurricane of stone, wood, and magic blasting the roof open like a can of corn. Vartek instinctively moved to protect Merina, or whatever she was now, but the force of nature that had ripped his home apart shot out from the rubble like a whirlwind of oranges and yellows.

Vartek didn't have any time to react, and Nebula had cleaved Merina's head from her body, a spray of blood painting the dusty ground. The queen landed, her bracers back, and glowing white hot before she turned to face Vartek. He was in shock, she was a blur, and he couldn't even react before she smiled, wound up four of her arms, and slashed at the air between them. A rippling wave of magic cut through the air, carving the ground as it approached in a screaming blade of hell itself.

Darc jolted awake in his void of isolation, his mind shattered back to reality yet again. His breathing was hoarse and irregular as he looked around at his surroundings. The first few moments were always hard, shedding the memories as he drifted back into his borrowed vessel. But he was used to it. Another memory, another wish, another harsh awakening to his grim reality.

"Taking another stroll into your memories?" Glossaryck asked him, "I'm guessing Nebula came in and killed you both again, huh?" Dark rubbed his eyes and glared at him, not bothering to answer.

"If you keep this up, you'll be consumed by the memories you hold so dear, and you will be driven just as insane as him" Glossaryck mused, sitting across from the teal embers glowing before Darc. But Darc waved it off with a huff, cracking his neck and stretching out his back. "When a child burns their finger, they remember the pain. But for me? I welcome the pain so I never forget."

"So you're an idiot?" Glossaryck asked as calmly as ever. By the gods Darc hated him. But the little man wouldn't go away. Even after being purified from the void, Glossaryck continued to appear. The annoying little imp had the nerve to ask,"You know what the definition of crazy is, don't you? Even Star knows that."

"What can I say? Maybe I am crazy," Darc muttered, leaning back and resting his head in his hands, "I've got it bad, old man. But the biggest sacrifices yield the grandest rewards, right? Your legacy is a testament to that."

"And what are you prepared to sacrifice, Vartek? The lives of children? The lives of Mewmans? Personal sacrifice is the only kind that gives out rewards."

The two sat in silence for a few moments until Darc finally answered with a scoff, shaking his head as he stood. "I'm sacrificing myself, and the memories I will soon forget, in order to get what I want. You forget, old man, I am not Vartek. And I am not Marco." Darc gestured to the space around him, letting a powerful, ominous glow of teal energy crackle and surge towards the smoldering embers.

"I am, that I am. And where you both failed, it's up to them to save...us." The dying teal embers glowed hotter, and Glossarcyk nodded in the growing light. The little blue man recognized when it was time to go, and like a fading mirage he vanished as Darc stood.

"One pest, two pests, green pest, blue pest," he murmured as the embers sparked into a small fire. The blackness around him began to illuminate with intricate lines of magic circuits as Darc stood over it, holding out his hands to the flames. He had been dreading this moment with an apathetic regret, but he was running out of time. His last exchange with...him, was plenty proof of that. So now it was time to take that first step towards his roots.

Darc leaned towards the flames until the teal blaze was licking at his face. The closer he got, however, the colder it became until his vision went black. It was a similar experience to whenever he took control of the boy, so it wasn't anything unusual. Within a few moments, his vision returned, albeit somewhat blurry. But that was because he wasn't really there. He was still in the boys mind, hidden until he saw fit to release himself, and until he was meeded.

"Come on now! Are we not akin to one another, Toffee?! You can let me in now, or I'll force your hand later. Your call!"

Vartek was standing before a black marble pedestal in an ornate room of worship, hidden within the Monster temple. Darc recognized the location, if only in a time travelers sort of way, and moving his astral projection through the room, he got a better look at what was happening. Atop the pedestal, nestled in a crystalline cradle, was Ludos wand. It glowed with power, humming from its half-star gemstone.

"I remember you promising me 'that I'll get what I want', Toffee. So stop. Resisting!" Vartek snapped, raising his hands and splaying his fingers. Darc watched with bored interest as green, sizzling magic collected around the septarians spread hands before jolting forward and into the wands gem. The magic hissed and cackled as it poured into the wand, but it didn't seem to have any noticeable effect.

This went on for another minute before Vartek finally gave in, dropping his hands as if they were weighed to his sides. "Damn! Hide all you want, Toffee! But rest assured, you will pay for your treachery by granting me access!" Varteks voice echoed through the intimate chamber, but Darc knew well enough what all that pageantry would get him: Absolutely nothing.

"I can feel you there as easily as I can smell the stench of your 'divine' magic. Reveal yourself at once!" Vartek never turned about, but given that the boy floating behind him was of his own energy, it made sense that it would be hard to hide from him. Darc rolled his eyes, floating down to the ground, and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his ethereal hoodie. "Does everything you do have to be so, damn, pretentious?" He asked simply.

Vartek stood still, his armor giving nothing away. The room seemed to grow darker around him as Darc pressed on with a resigned sigh. "You know who, and what, I am. Stop acting like you-"

"The boy." Vartek growled, "I have to admit I wasn't expecting to see you here…. Are you impressed?"

Darc looked around the room, his eyes passing over the ornate walls, the streaks of ancient blood on the stone pedestal, and the intricate, foreign design carved into the floor. It reminded him of the cut of a multi-faceted gem, only far more detailed. "You've been busy, I can see that much. But you know it won't work. You're not nearly strong enough to-"

Vartek turned, casting his gaze on the corporeal form of Darc, and the boy's words died in his chest. Varteks arms were covered in deep green cracks, corrupted magic glowing from under his skin. Looking higher, Darc could see the cracks had carved their way up to Varteks face, and where there had once been burns, now lay a web of broken flesh. They surrounded his eyes like a shattered mask above a sinister grin. "Not strong enough to what, boy? Bring her back? I have power beyond anything in the cosmos, even beyond the three Matriarchs. Where do you think I got this?" He asked rhetorically, gesturing to the faceted platform on the floor.

"Using a warp pad like that is a good way to get you killed, soo, I guess I'll let you get back to it then, yeah?" Darc asked him, however, he still couldn't take his eyes off the cracks. Vartek scoffed and folded his arms, leaning against the pedestal, clearly enjoying himself. "What's the hurry? Are you so desperate to get back to the little bitch that you can't stay and talk for a while?"

Darc let his face twitch with the urge to unleash hell, even on someone who's magic probably far surpassed his own. "The 'bitch' I return to, is one you have no right to mention. Merina would spit on the man you have become. You taint her memory, and her magic," Darc muttered. His words were as cold as a frozen forest, but his eyes burned with rage. Vartek rose to meet the young man's spite with a wave of anger all his own, his eyes flashing green. "Choose your next words very carefully, child. I could portal to your little home and slaughter your-"

"I am no more a child of Earth than I am a child of yours," Darc spat, not backing down an inch. He loomed forward over Vartek like the shadow of an eclipse and despite being a mere image of the septarians memories, he demonstrated an unrivaled power all his own. "You will die just as well as Merina before you can bring her back! The foul magic you cling to so desperately is killing you! Can't you see that?!"

"Enough!" Vartek roared, slamming his fist down just beside Ludo's wand, shooting cracks down the stone shrine, "When I am given what I am owed, I will relish in the screams of Mewni! I will-"

"Ohhh myy goooodddd, seriously, drop the pageantry! I'm literally a part of you, I know you're scared and sad and angry, and you just want to be back home….with her." Darc lowered himself down to Varteks level and reached out a transparent hand to him, letting the softer tone of his voice carry the pain he knew they both shared. "We can go home, right now. We can become whole on our own, give back what we've stolen, and return to the home she would want you to carry forward. Your people need you, and so does Silva."

"My people are all dead, thanks to the Butterflies. My land, taken. My home, reduced to rubble! My family? Slain before my very eyes!" Vartek shouted, his eyes never leaving Darc's, "You know nothing of what you speak of, boy. And when I use this," he held up a small, blue crystal that hummed with energy. Arcs of magic hissed around its edges as Vartek smiled. "You will be the first to die."

Darc retracted his hand and let out a resigned sigh. "And you will fall with me. I hope we can save you before you lose the only thing that makes us...who we once were." Varteks eyes narrowed further at the mention of 'us' and 'we', but he decided to ignore it, instead turning back to his pedestal and eying the wand.

"I have paid a hefty price, there's no doubt of that," he growled, running his hands over his fractured arms, "but the greatest sacrifices yield the greatest rewards." Darc rolled his eyes, but his attention was still drawn to the arcing blue crystal. Vartek noticed the boy's wandering gaze and let his lips curl into a satisfied sneer.

"You must be so curious as to my latest deeds. Perhaps that is why you decided to pay me a visit?" Darc returned the lizard's sneer with a half-hearted grin and shrugged to himself, chuckling back, "Well, I was hoping to stop you from killing us and destroying quite a few nice places...but I can't lie; I am curious."

Vartek nodded in assent. Despite hating the visage of that boy with every waking fiber of his being, he was at the very least happy to share with someone what he was working on. There was some danger that word of his plans could get out, but being so far down the 'to-do list', Vartek didn't really care. He placed the blue crystal down behind Ludo's wand and took a step back.

Darc watched with apathetic interest as Vartek clasped his palms together and closed his eyes, letting out a deep breath with a hiss. The cracks up his arms seemed to deepen and glow against the poor lighting of the room. From his palms, a hum of energy worked up his arms and set them ablaze with green flames until the fires reached his eyes.

"Is that supposed to be something impressive?" Darc asked with a raised eyebrow, "the boy can do that without destroying himself. What do you hope to achieve by-" His quip was harshly silenced when a bubble of green magic expanded around Vartek, engulfing the room in a toxic light. Ludo's wand hovered in place, blaring a low, reverberating sound like a horn from every direction before it shot a concentrated beam of corrupted magic at the ground.

The faceted platform on the floor suddenly lit up with a similar, toxic color, and Vartek opened his eyes to sneer at Darc.

"I have my battery," he spoke triumphantly, gesturing to the arcing blue crystal that now spun madly behind the wand, blue energy pouring out of it.

"I have half of my focus point," he waved a hand to the wand that now overflowed with power. The faceted platform below him hummed with energy, but its true potential remained dormant. "All I need is the girl's half...and a vessel, and I'll return Merina to this world. I have waged wars, stolen from the matriarchs, gathered the forms of gods, and split my soul in two; all in the goal of-!"

"Yeah, yeah. Pageantry and sacrifice, all that jazz. I could do without the monologuing for now," Darc sighed, mockingly checking a watch that wasn't there. That might have gone over a medieval lizards head, though, who knew. Absorbing Glossaryck wasn't doing his patience or manners any favors, but for once, Darc agreed with his subdued half. "If you use that, you're going to die. A warp pad can't handle that much magic, and when you try to force your fake Merina through the wand, you'll burn up like a supernova."

"You seem awfully sure of my failure, for someone who's derived from my success," Vartek mused as he cut off the flow of magic. His glowing cracks began to repair, if only slightly, as the warp pad, the wand, and the crystal all died down. Darc folded his arms and rolled his eyes. "I'm not long for this world anyway. We will go down together when you fail, and maybe then you'll finally know peace when you join her in death."

Vartek took a step closer to the apparition, his eyes blazing with fury as his fists clenched so tight, they drew blood. "SHE WILL LIVE, AND THEY WILL DIE! I WILL KNOW PEACE, WHEN I CAN HAVE THE WOMAN I LOVE BACK!"

Not willing to be outdone with such an outburst, Darc used some of his magic to radiate an aura of malice that even Vartek could feel. He bellowed right back, "MERINA IS GONE, YOU BROKEN FOOL! SHE DOESN'T EXIST ANYMORE!" He pushed further, holding Varteks eyes as he loomed closer. "Give up this frivolous quest of self-destruction for a woman who is no longer real! Carry her memory as I do and return home, or you will die, alone and broken. That is my ultimatum to you, and you would be wise to preserve her legacy by heeding it!"

"ENOUGH!" Vartek roared, a pulse of green energy shooting in every direction. Darc's image was nearly shattered against the wall of force, but he managed to hold true. "I will bring her back, and when I do, I will bath this land in the blood of the Mewmans. I will force that false princess to watch as I tear her mate to pieces. That is no ultimatum, nor a quest; it is a promise. I will reduce Mewni to little more than memory, as they did to Merina, and there is no force in this universe, that can stop me."

Darc made to suggest that there were actually two that could, but Vartek slammed his palms together, radiating a pulse of corruption that forced Darc out of the temple and back into the void.

O - O - O - O - O - O - O

"Let me be as clear as Mewmanly possible right now: Hell. NO." Star folded her arms, glaring daggers at the meek and slightly recoiling Ruberiot. Marco had just let him inside, and the three stood just past the threshold of the door, Star barring any further advancement into the house, her wand aimed squarely at Ruberiots chest. The bothersome, troublesome minstrel was smart enough to not say a word, and took to cowering behind Marco, keeping his eyes pointed to the floor

"Star, give me one minute to explain why this is-" he began, but Star fired off a nonlethal warning shot at the wall over his shoulder, barely missing Ruberiots minstrel hat. "N. O. We are NOT doing that again, and if the universe breaks? Fine by me! He's not ruining my life a second time!"

Marco stared at her, watching her muscles tense as the seconds drew by, and decided to play his hand at rationality. "Star, come on. This is our chance to tell Moon...everyone, what's happening, and get them all ready," he reasoned, drawing closer to her. But her wand was unwaveringly steady as she maintained her aim. "We can use him to our advantage. One way or another a secret has to get out today, so why not one we choose?"

Star narrowed her eyes at him as her wand began to glow bright pink with charged magic. "You want me to help him ruin my life? That little weasel can rot in the dungeon for all I care! He's gonna screw everything up, and I'm not playing cleanup afterwards!" She shouted, earning a flinch from the minstrel. Marco sidestepped to keep Ruberiot behind him and drew his hands up in a non-threatening pose, slowly moving closer to her so Ruberiot couldn't hear. Of course, judging from last time, he probably would anyway. "Star, it won't be like last time, you know that. You're already dating me, and you haven't done anything wrong for him to confess. We just tell them about Vartek, Ludo, and he'll probably tell them about our future knowledge if we say not to. It'll be fine."

Seconds of silence droned by, by finally, Star seemed to give a little as she let a small, barely noticeable breath out. "I know we're just gonna end up having to play along with him anyway, or-" the room around them glitched with an almost intentional assent before returning to normal, Ruberiot didn't notice. "-or that, yeah. But does it have to be future stuff? What happens if things go worse because we tell them about Ludo?" Star asked.

Marco knew she had a point, there was no telling if the stream of events would be altered irreparably if Mewmans knew what was coming, and it was true that things ended up largely alright last time, but…"Star, it's not just Ludo this time. If it was, I wouldn't even consider telling people. But it's not. We have to worry about Vartek," he warned, his eyes sharing that familiar unease he used every time he had to speak of the wicked septarian, "he's not like Ludo. He's not just trying to take over and be a bad ruler, Star. He wants to destroy everything. He's out for blood, and he wants a real war, we can't just sit by and hope things turn out okay."

"But…" Star hated that he had a point. Hated that Minstrel. Hated Vartek for everything he'd done and for pushing her hand. "But can't we do something else? Our only option can't be him," she said with marked distaste. Marco followed her deadly glare to Ruberiot, but found himself smiling at the once troublesome mewman instead of matching her glare.

"Would you rather go and tell Moon everything yourself? Or would you prefer to pin all the public outcry on him?" He asked with a chuckle. Ruberiots eyes widened, but he didn't seem scared by the proposal. His honorable sense as a musician was telling him one thing, and one thing only: Recognition.

"You know that's not how it's gonna go down, Diaz," Star was quick to return, her icy stare unyielding against his improving mood, "I remember picking bits of tomato and corn out of my hair for two days. They're not gonna care about him when he tells them about a secret war we've known was coming for months."

"And they're not going to care about us when we're the ones saving them," Marco offered with his positive tone, "We can't let them walk in blind, Star. They have to know what's coming, and right now it's his job to tell them."

"Marco, I love you. But saving them or not, they're going to hate us. You know that, and I appreciate you trying to sugarcoat it, but that's just how it's gonna be," Star sighed, finally dropping her tense expression and lowering her wand. Ruberiot, feeling it was finally safe, stood up straighter and managed to speak.

"If it's all the same to you, princess, I'd happily play what you'd wish of me, but I cannot ignore the burning in my heart to play real truth to-"

"I'm going to kill him before dinner, I just know it," Star muttered, furrowing her brow at him. Ruberiot flinched at her words, but Marco gave her a polite grin. "If he tells anyone our dirty secrets, I'll help you hide the body. Sound fair?"

"Sounds fair," she returned. Ruberiot audibly gulped, clinging his lute closer to his chest as Star trudged closer, her arms folded and a scowl boring his way. But when she stood over him with all of the malice of a born conquerer, she surprised him by extending a hand, which he cautiously took, and shook.

"You sing anything I don't approve of, and you will die. And even if you're cool with that," she leaned closer, narrowing her eyes as she squeezed his hand so hard Marco could hear a few cracks. Ruberiot yelped, but Star held her grip, continuing to say, "I'll at least enjoy making it hurt. Understood?"

"U-understood, p-p-princess!" Ruberiot squeaked. Star nodded forcefully and let go of his hand, turning hard and striding towards the kitchen, pulling Marco along as she shouted over her shoulder, "Come on! We got a lot of work to do, and I don't wanna make a day of this."

"Y-yes, your highness! I won't let you down, on my honor as-"

"And no more talking! From now on, you only get to write down questions!" Star interrupted, poking her head from the kitchen and shooting a scorching glare his way. Ruberiot pressed his lips together and eyed Marco, who only gave him a wistful shrug before turning on his heels and disappearing from the dining room.

Nodding to himself, Ruberiot steeled his nerves, clutched his lute tighter, and followed them into the kitchen.

O - O - O - O - O - O - O

Sign, file, out process, receive, sign, receive, process, sign, file…

As Queen Moon sat at her desk, a hand-carved chunk of blackwood that was likely older than half of the castle grounds, her usual routine of carrying out royal decrees and petitions was interrupted by a sudden, loud knock at her door. She straightened in her seat, staring at it as if it had offended her. It wasn't the kind of knock that preceded documents of files, "Noo… that's… Star's knock," Moon thought with abject horror before the knob began to turn on its own.

Only when the door swung open, slamming against the wall to its right, it was River who stood in the threshold, geared out for hunting and brandishing his favorite spear. He wore a wide, excitable grin, but before he could even utter a word to his queen, Moon slammed both palms to her desk and stood, a deep frown forming an impregnable barrier against any of the king's wishes. "Absolutely not!" She yelled at him, but he was never so quick to back down.

"But Moonpie! The weather is ripe for a good hunt, and my body burns for the sweet embrace of my spear out in the field!" River practically begged, but Moon held firm, her eyes narrowed in a cross mix of annoyance and impatience. He was always doing this, for any occasion, but this one was not going to be so easy to escape. "I don't care to know about any sort of embrace you plan to enjoy with that spear of yours. You're not going hunting just to get out of song day! It's a tradition going back since-" she began, but River groaned and brandished his spear, almost lovingly.

"Tradition, 'shmadition', my love! It's just another pompous and stuffy gathering with no real purpose but to kindle the aristocrat's egos!" Moon wasn't giving in to his reasoning, so River tried another tactic, one he was sure would win her over! "Not to mention, Star finds these events quite detestable! She'd want me to go, if for the sole purpose of seeing her old man happy and free in the wild!" He finished, arms and spear raised in the air, but Moon's cocked eyebrow and stare gave no hint of budging.

"Out of the question. It's your duty as king to be present at this recital as much as it is Stars. What would our people say if they knew that you 'skipped out' on our daughter's song day?" River made to refute her position, likely with some quip about his people loving it when he leaves to hunt, but Moon pinched the bridge of her nose and let out an exasperated sigh.

"Please, dear. I cannot believe that I have to explain this to you, again, but there are things we must do for the kingdom that are more important than hunting," she pointed out, but River merely shook his head in defiance. He stepped closer to her desk and leaned against the side, asking, "And what might these things be?"

Moon pressed her lips together and leaned back, staring at the ceiling and hoping beside hope that he would just accept her decision. But as it was painfully obvious that River never would, and never had done exactly that, she could only let out her caged breath in another sigh. "It's important for us to have this ceremony, River. Our people need reassurance that Star isn't some crazy barbarian stirring up trouble wherever she goes."

"I-...but… is she not?" River asked, his voice barely above a whisper, as though Star was listening to their conversation. He had always been proud of Star's more courageous and strong attributes, so why anyone would be put off by them was beyond him. Moon, however, was quite the opposite and met River's eyes as she answered, "She is. There's no denying that, but the people of Mewni need to see the better, more reliable side of her potential as a ruler, and not just the born-warrior. The simple fact of the matter is that we don't get to choose what we can do for her song day, this isn't for any of us. It's for our people."

River was ready to make one last desperate attempt to sway Moon to his side when an orange portal cleaved the space in her office, emitting a low, refractory sound as it swirled and rippled. 'Can I not have ten minutes of silence without someone barging in to-' Moon thought as Hekapoo stepped out of the portal, her face grim as she regarded River with a nod.

"The High Commission needs you, your highness. It's...it's pretty urgent. And it can't wait," she stated flatly. River looked to Moon with pleading eyes, but even as she moved to accompany Hekapoo back through the portal, she shook her head disapprovingly. "When I return, I don't want to hear any more about this hunting trip excuse. Even Star hasn't raised a fuss today, so you need to stiff up and prepare yourself for tonight," she said, giving him one last look before disappearing into the portal.

"Yes, Moonpie," River muttered, glaring at the ground as he held his spear aloft.

Moon stepped through the other end of the portal and found herself in the Magical High Commission tower meeting room. She was met with the grim and tired faces of Rhombulus, Lekmet, and Omnitraxus as Hekapoo took her seat. She leaned against the end of the table and made to speak when she noticed that there was still one party member missing.

"What's this meeting about? Where's Glossaryck? Shouldn't he be present?" She asked. But she was only met with a dull, sullen silence that hung low in the room like a humid fog. Hekapoo glanced at Lekmet before standing, folding her hands in front of her as she answered, "That's, sort of the point of the meeting, Queen Moon. We...umm…"

"Blaaaahahahahaaaha!" Lekmet bleated, his worried expression conveying at least some urgency to Moon where his words fell short. Rhombulus nodded and turned to the Queen, muttering only, "Glossaryck's gone…"

Moons eyes widened at the translation as she stood in silence, staring at the crystalline enforcer for what seemed like minutes, waiting to see if Lekmet would point out an error, but no one uttered a word. "Is...is he dead?" She asked, looking at every member with scrutiny before stopping back at Rhombulus. He merely shook his head. "No, Lekmet would know if he was. At least, we're pretty sure."

Hekapoo gestured to Moon and curiously asked, "Can Glossaryck even die, though? I thought he was immortal, or like, at least pretty sturdy."

"He's been alive far longer than any of us can know for sure, even creating some of you during his lifespan," Moon pointed out, still reeling from the idea that her teacher was…"No. While you may believe that he might have passed, Glossaryck has always done what he does for a purpose. If there's a possibility he has...left us, then it's a slim one at best."

"Sooo, what then?" Rhombulus asked, meeting eyes with Lekmet, then Hekapoo, "is he like, missing or something? Somewhere Lekmet can't find him?"

"Have you asked Star if she knows anything about the situation?" Moon asked the room, finally taking a seat and leaning forward. Hekapoo scoffed in annoyance and flicked her wrist to the air in front of her. "You told us, and I quote: 'Do not contact Star, or Marco, under any circumstances," she muttered, a heavy tinge of bitterness at Marco's name. She missed having the little ball of nerves around.

"In the regard of 'hanging out' with them, or, I don't know...kidnapping my daughter for ten years of her life and forcing her suitor to forget she even exists!" Moon snapped, glaring at Hekapoo before quickly regaining her composure. The room was dead silent as Moon continued, "This is what you would typically qualify, as an emergency. But, Star is busy planning her Princess song, so it will have to wait until this evening. Until then: you are all on high alert until we find Glossaryck, or...whatever has put him out of commission."

"Uhhhh, how exactly are we supposed to do anything about it without him?" Rhombulus asked, cocking his single, faceted eyebrow to the left, "Our magic's weaker than it already was! What happens if we find something bad that-"

"I understand your concern," Moon interrupted, straightening in such a way that she did every time she had to address a question like this from Rhombulus, "but that will have to be a topic of discussion at a later date. For now, keep your eyes open and your ears to the ground. Lekmet, keep searching for traces of his magic, any amount. Omni?"

The small crystal ball fuzzed and fizzled with no response. "Right. Hekapoo, continue to monitor Ludos portal usage. If he leaves Mewni for any reason, I want to know why. And Rhombulus?"

The enforcer straightened at his name, eagerly awaiting his orders. "Keep doing what you've been doing," Moon muttered, rising from her chair to take her leave as he grumbled unintelligible words under his breath.

There was a soft crackling of static behind her. "When are we making a move on Ludo?" Onnitraxus asked with a hardness to his voice that seemed uncharacteristic to his usual grandeur. "We know where he's hiding, so why don't we just deal with that issue first?"

Moon stopped where she stood facing the door, and without turning answered softly, "We can't. For now...we just have to wait." Stars words of danger and caution had finally broken through to her that night at, wherever her daughter was. It was loud, to say the very least. In any regard, she had agreed to wait, so wait she would. "What intel have you gathered on Ludo since we last spoke of him? Did you find any connection to the corruption like I asked?"

More uneasy stares around the room coupled with an awkward silence that droned on for more than a minute. When she finally lost her patience, she let her breath hiss past her teeth in an aggravated sigh usually reserved for her family. "Please tell me you at least have something," she muttered.

"We only know where he's hiding," Rhombulus grumbled, folding his snake arms over one another, as if to bolster his point, "Anything else is hard to figure out. People we send in don't come back out, and no one else knows anything. He's...super-secret about whatever he's planning, the little monster!." The rest of the MHC nodded in assent to his claim, but Moon didn't have time for their excuses. If they wanted to make a move, they needed to give her more information than Star had, which was, at the moment, startlingly low.

"Okay. So you have no new information, whatsoever?" Moon asked the room. She was met with a return of nodding heads. "Unbelievable, how did you even find out where he was hiding? What brought you to that conclusion that I find myself losing faith in?"

More silence filled the room as Moon waited with abating patience for their response. Rhombulus found himself under the scorching glare of both Hekapoo and Omni until finally, he growled to himself and stood. "Fine! Alright, I'll bring him in!" He shouted, throwing his hands in the air as he walked out of the meeting room. Moon, still waiting, decided to use the time to address the remaining members. "Have you anything else to report? Is there anything at all you can tell me about our situation?"

Omnitraxus tried to say something, but static filled his crystal ball, muffling his speech. Hekapoo sighed and moved toward his cart, slamming her fist down on the top until his image came back into focus. "-noticed tremors rapidly- -worse. No telling- -we have left before it-" Hekapoo kicked the cart again, and for the time being he remained in focus. Moon pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head.

"Something about tremors, getting worse? What exactly is that about?" She asked. Omni shook his head grimly, addressing the queen with an informative, low tone. "It's bad, is about all I can say for sure. The universe keeps getting off track with the space-time continuum, until it snaps back into place, violently at times. I'm not sure what's causing it, and it seems relatively stable for now, but if we don't figure out why it's behaving so erratically, the flow of time could become distorted and broken beyond repair."

Moon felt the hair on her neck stand up at the mention of the future, and space-time getting off course, and pressed the issue by asking, "have you...noticed anything unusual about it?"

"No, your majesty. It's unusual in and of itself. Although…" his gaze turned thoughtful, narrowing his eyes at a memory, "it does seem to be primarily centered around Star Butterfly, and Marco Diaz. They're acting as a ground for it, keeping it from tearing itself apart, but somehow...they're also agitating it, I believe."

Moon sighed, defeated. She had yet another issue to discuss with her daughter in regards to the future, but her rising anger wasn't centered around that. No, it was more geared towards the fact that Star had a point in believing that she should be sticking to the intended stream of events. Any doubt Moon had about her promise to not attack was now sufficiently snuffed out

She made to offer that Onnitraxus reevaluate the situation and monitor it in detail, when the double doors to the meeting room swung open, Shawn pushing a massive wooden cart through them. Rhombulus strode in behind him, helping to steady the…"Is that… a prisoner?" Moon asked, analyzing the crystal strapped down to the cart. There appeared to be someone trapped inside.

"Ha, you bet it is! It's a lot harder to catch them when they can fly, but he wasn't a match for my awesome, incredible-"

"Let him out," Moon said with flat resolve, her eyes not moving from the crystal's occupant. Rhombulus looked around the room, surveying the other members of the high commission, but none protested to her order. He looked back at Moon. "Why would we let him out? This guy was super hard to catch! And I already-"

"I said. Let. Him. Out," Moon muttered, barely above a whisper as she turned to face her enforcer. Rhombulus stiffened at the demand, his single eye-widening at the calming yet threatening tone she was using. Already, the room felt smaller under her gaze, so without argument, Rhombulus brought both snakes to his head, and melted the crystal down to a mineral slurry, the occupant of said crystal falling to the floor.

Coughing and wheezing, Dennis slowly picked himself off the floor and struggled to look around the room. When his vision cleared and he focused on Rhombulus, however, he flinched back and cowered at the sight. "PLEASE! I TOLD YOU EVERYTHING I KNOW! DON'T HURT ME ANY MORE!" he shouted, his voice hoarse.

Moon knelt beside him and looked him over, quick to notice that Dennis didn't seem to notice her presence, but everyone elses. He was missing a few feathers, one of his eyes was swollen to the point of near closure, and he was holding his right wing at a funny angle. "Dennis, do you know where you are?" She asked softly, gently placing a steadying hand on his quivering shoulder. The young Averus turned to look at her, and immediately his face fell into one of relief.

"Queen Moon, oh thank the gods...keep him away from me! They kidnapped me and t-tortured me until I told them where Ludo is!" Moon nodded, giving Rhombulus an especially hostile sideways glare before beginning to apply some healing magic. "They won't hurt you, you have my word as Queen," she offered quietly, "I'm going to heal you as best I can, but it will be some time before your arm is better. Do you know where you are? Or what day it is?"

Dennis took a few calming breaths as Moons healing magic washed over him, mending his bones some and clearing his mind from the distracting pain. "I...I don't know where I am. And I think today is maybe…the thirteenth of Spleenix?" Moon bit down on her anger and turned a scorching eye on the magical high commission.

"You kept him imprisoned for three weeks?!" She hissed at them. Rhombulus moved further back and tried to defend himself, but he couldn't form the words. Hekapoo merely shrugged it off, answering, "We needed intel, and he was the closest person to Ludo we could find. It's not our fault he didn't want to talk, or that he wanted to go warn his brother."

"You said you were going to kill him!" Dennis shrieked, glaring at them before beginning to cough. Rhombulus raised his hissing hands in refusal, shouting back, "We never said that! He's lying!" But Hekapoo groaned, rubbing her temples before standing and moving to stand beside Rhombulus.

"Give it up, Romcom, we're totally gonna kill him, because if that little creep thinks he's getting away with-" she began, but Moon slammed a fist down onto the edge of the table after seating Dennis in her chair, silencing the entire room. Her expression was rigid and threatening, and when she moved to speak all parties present listened, almost by some invisible force.

But before she could explode, Moon stopped herself, her eyes darting down to the still heavily breathing Dennis at her side. For whatever reason, the avian reminded her of Marco, willing to do whatever it took to protect someone he cared about. So she smoothed herself over and collected her anger, instead flashing the high commission and pleasant smile.

"We are not. Killing Ludo. He will be taken in for questioning, we will help him fix what damage he's done, and then he will be free to go. But that doesn't matter yet, because we're not moving on his position at this time anyway." The finality of Moon's order rocked the other members of the room, Dennis included. He made to offer his compliance, but it was Hekapoo who voiced her concerns first.

"Why would we not attack when we know where he is, AND when we're taking him by surprise?!" Rhombulus nodded in agreement, while Lekmet shook his head, but Hekapoo continued regardless, her tone only rising in volume and bravado, "If we wait, then he'll come knocking at your front door with an army, just like Tof-"

"Do not speak his name, " Moon spat, turning to Hekapoo with a thorned, icy glare, "I am the reigning Queen of Mewni, and I was the one who defeated him in the last war, so, for now, we will wait. Gather Intel and learn more about his defenses and abilities before storming his castle, am I clear?"

Omnitraxus cocked an eyebrow and tilted his skull, asking, "And what of the drain and the corruption? They seem to be working in tandem and we're almost certain it's Ludos doing. What about that?"

Moon sighed in resignation, but Dennis stood uneasily from his chair and glared at the collective MHC, addressing them as a group, and standing his ground against their abrasive stares. "Ludo isn't the one doing all that. I've talked to him, and he told me who's really behind everything. He doesn't have a choice but to-"

"And did he happen to tell you who this person was?" Omni asked him, a clear tone of disbelief giving his words a sarcastic edge, "Or are we meant to simply take your treasonous brothers word at face value?"

"HE'S NOT A TRAITOR!" Dennis screamed at him before breaking out into another fit of coughing, his mending wing still bent at an uncomfortable angle. Moon helped him maintain his footing and met his eyes with a caring look that seemed to ease him, if only slightly. "Dennis, if you know anything, you should tell us. Whatever happens, I'm going to get your brother. And if he's under the control of someone else, I have to know."

Dennis looked at her uneasily, still not sure if she was someone he could trust, but she was healing him, even now. So for the time being, it was a safe bet to assume she was the one person in the room who would take his interests to heart. He swallowed hard and nodded. "Ludo called him...Vartek."

O - O - O - O - O - O - O

When Marco rounded the corner to Jannas street, he wasn't sure what he was expecting. But finding two bonfires burning in her front yard, and a swarming pack of coyotes bolting from under her stairs wasn't even close.

'Huh. Usually, she just has the racoons. ...that's probably not a good sign,' he thought to himself, walking between the bonfires and up to her door, careful not to disturb any more lurking "greeters" under the porch. But when he got to the door, using the lion-crested knocker, it slowly creaked open to reveal the cozy interior of her home.

"Oh! Hello, Marco," Tala Ordonia called from the living room, waving him over. Her husband, Basil, was just pouring some tea as Marco stepped inside, the young man smiling and giving them a polite wave. "Are you looking for Jann?" Tala asked.

"Yes, actually. She, kinda has something of mine, " Marco answered, closing the door behind him. If all went well, he wouldn't be using it again today. Tala simply nodded, a pleasant smile never leaving her face as she took a filled cup from Basil. "Doesn't she just always, though? I can never tell just who's things she'll bring home from one day to the next. She's up in her room, but I'd be careful with her for the moment."

Marco frowned at the ominous warning, and instinctually checked his back pocket for his wallet. He looked between the two, expecting a prank, but he knew that they weren't the kind to play along in such matters, even if Janna had asked them to. "Is she...in a bad mood?" He asked after a short moment of reflection, reassessing his safety here. Tala simply nodded and sipped some of her tea.

Placing the porcelain cup down, she mused, "Bad breakup."

Marco's blood ran cold at the admission, and suddenly, he felt as exposed as a newborn deer in a tiger cage, soaked in sardine oil. "I… I uhm...I'll be careful, " he finally managed to whisper, his eyes panning to the stairs as though he was afraid of who, or what might be waiting at the top.

"Good luck, Marco. And try to avoid the doorknob. She's wired it already, " Tala laughed, but Marco didn't think it was funny. How they had come to understand, much less tolerate their daughter was a mystery for another day, so without any further consideration for his well being, he made his way slowly, carefully, up the stairs.

"We'll check on you in...say five minutes if we don't hear back from you, " Basil offered the trembling boy, but his vote of confidence fell on deaf ears. Marco practically snuck up the stairs, all of the wind out of his sails. He was here to collect a stolen tool for universal travel, and here he was, walking on eggshells to get it back from a teenage girl with slight issues.

'Why do all of my visits here end up like this, ' he wondered as he crested the top of the staircase and turned right, the hallway as dark as ever. Janna had a thing for darkness, something about making an impression and setting the mood, she had said. In her room, things were normal, or about as normal as they could be when dealing with Janna, with a few pinches of grotesque and cultish thrown into the mix.

Shaking the distracting thoughts, as he finally reached her door, marked with warnings and crudely drawn satanic profanities, Marco knocked twice, and immediately blacked out.

How long he was out, or what was happening while he was unconscious, he couldn't say. But when Marco was finally able to open his eyes, he found himself lounging in a chocolate brown bean bag chair beside Janna's bed, her room dark behind the sun-proof curtains. His first reaction was a sane one, and he immediately began to pat himself down, ensuring he was still fully clothed and his belongings were all accounted for.

"You seriously think I'd do something like take your clothes while you're passed out, Diaz?" Jannas voice asked from her bed. Marco nearly jumped out of his skin, his nerves wound tighter than a spool of nylon thread As he hastily scanned around the dark room for her. She was sitting at the head of her bed, her elbows resting on her knees, and wearing her favorite pair of Paul Silver pajamas. What her fascination with that weirdo magician was, Marco would never know.

"Excuse me for expecting you to do something you've literally done before, Janna. Why did you have to knock me out to let me in?" Marco asked, a clear tinge of exasperation in his voice not going unnoticed. Through the darkness of the room, Janna shot him a withering glare and spat back, "Maybe because it's my house, and I can do what I want? And what I want, is to be alone."

"So you knocked me out?" Marco repeated, "you could have just asked what I wanted before-" Marco stopped. He was getting hysterical, which was just what Janna wanted. She was always doing this, pretending not to care while she enjoyed every second of his reaction. She'd let him go on all day long if he let her, but he was too busy to deal with that today. Janna sat up straighter on her bed, and leaned closer, her piercing stare never wavering as she asked again, "What do you want, Marco?"

He wanted to scream, damnit. But at the same time, when he met her glare, he noticed the previously hidden puffiness around her eyes, and remembered what Tala had said. 'Bad breakup… Annnnnd suddenly, everything makes sense again.' He hated to have to be that guy for Janna, much less at all. He just wanted to come here, get his scissors, and portal home as soon as humanly possible. But, thats not the type of person he was, even for Janna.

"Do you wanna talk abou-"

"Finish that sentence and I'll turn your liver inside out," Janna spat. He could swear the room temperature plummeted twenty degrees as she continued, "Simply, Marco, I don't. Besides, when have I ever wanted to talk about my feelings?"

Marco gave her a conflicted shrug. He wanted to be anywhere but here, and yet, "when have you ever had to deal with a breakup?" He asked it politely, like he genuinely wanted to know the answer, but Janna growled in pent up frustration, silencing any further communication. She wanted to put a fork through his eye for even mentioning it, and trying to get her to be all sappy, but more than anything, she was angry with her mother.

"I'm soo putting a tarantula in her shower tonight," she muttered before turning back to Marco, her sour expression mostly hidden in the dark, "You have eighteen seconds to tell me why the hell you came to my house, before I kick you out."

"I actually just wanted my scissors back, buuuut, since you went and knocked me out, now I'm not leaving...until you feel better?" He found himself sweating as he finished that thought, surprising himself almost as much as Janna. She stared at him for a moment before grumbling something about him and rummaging through her nightstand. Finally, she produced his dimensional scissors and threw them at him, the blades stabbing into the bean bag chair just above his left shoulder.

He wanted to shout at her for tossing around such a powerful weapon, but when he turned to look at her, she was standing three feet in front of him, her eyes plainly visible, and very angry. "There you go. Now you can either leave," she cracked her neck twice, returning her glare to his forehead, "or I can make you leave."

Marco, not missing a beat, flashed her a confident smirk and produced a glowing blue fireball in the palm of his hand, letting the flames lick the air around it. "You're free to try, but I'm not gonna make it easy for you, even if it costs me my liver. So do us both a favor, and just.. Tell me what's on your mind."

If he were being honest with himself, Marco was fully expecting to receive a lashing from four different realities he was sure Janna could draw creatures from, but she surprised him by simply letting out another exasperated sigh. "...whatever…", she breathed, moving to her bed and flopping down, staring at the ceiling in silence.

Marco let out the held breath he had forgotten about, thankful to still have his life. He thought quietly for a moment about what his options were, before opening a portal with his recently re-acquired scissors, and pulling out a pair of fake glasses. He put them on and sat forward, asking, "So what happened, bama Janna? Talk to me."

Janna's face twitched at the one nickname she hated more than anything else on Earth, but she decided to just go with it. The sooner she played along, the sooner he would leave. "I know I like to act like I could give two shits about what people think of me, but.. Do you think I'm a bad person, for doing what I do?" She asked, glancing in Marco's direction. Already it felt like a weight was off her chest. Maybe he could leave now.

"No."

Janna made to retort, but there weren't any words she could think of to answer that. It surprised her too much, that Marco didn't agree with her. She drew a breath to ask why, but Marco must have sensed she would, because he continued, saying, "Even after years of dealing with borderline torture, and your theivery, and mind games, and...hypnotism, you're only realy just trying to have fun. Even if it's at other peoples expense, and it's annoying, and dangerous...sometimes, you do things for you. Things that make you happy. That doesn't make you a BAD person, maybe reckless and inconsiderate, but not bad."

"Y'know, Hitler was doing things for him, too," Janna muttered with rueful sarcasm.

"Yeahhhh," Marco rubbed the back of his neck, seeing the slight glimmer of a point she had, "but, Hitler wasn't fourteen, or playing pranks. ...why do you ask, by the way"

"Because Fergusson broke up with me, dumbass." Jannas words were dripping with angry spite, but Marco could hear the subtle pain she was trying to hide within them. "I performed rituals, pulled pranks, made sacrifices, sometimes with him instead of on him, and he was cool with it. I was happy giving him a little bit of romancey stuff, because he was happy doing stuff for me, like a mutual exchange. But he wanted...commitment, to be more romantic with me, to get all," she made a gesture with her hands, "sappy. And that's just not me, so I said no, and he left."

Marco nodded, narrowing his eyes as he held his chin. 'This is the second time I get to be a therapist, and I haven't even been paid for it,' he mused. "I can see what you mean, I guess. You like to go with your own flow, and you're committed to...yourself? Which is fine, but I mean, the rituals might have been a bit much."

Janna scoffed, throwing her arms into the air in a huff. "They weren't dangerous though! Just a normal little-" she noticed Marco staring with an eyebrow arched towards the ceiling. "Okay! Maybe they were like, a little dangerous. Don't give me that look, Marco, nobody got hurt-"

Marco arched his eyebrow further and coughed once into his hand. Sitting up sharply and glaring at him, Janna answered his silent appraisal by shouting, "Nobody we knew got hurt! Thats better than Stars daily reccord any time of year."

"Uh huhhhh," Marco mumbled, nodding, "So, back on track here, if you don't want to 'feel committed' to Fergusson, why are you so upset?"

Janna didn't say anything for a moment, making Marco think about rephrasing his question, but Janna leaned forward, eying him with a chary look before answering, "Commitment isn't my thing, and I don't really care about being all...schmoozy with people, but I did like Fergusson. He was funny, and he put up with what I liked. So for him to just walk out? That still hurts, Marco, like it makes me want to put a few curses on him so he learns his-"

"Hookaaaay, well… I don't know how you guys work, since I haven't really seen you two in action much, but maybe being a bit more like a real couple meant a lot to him," Marco offered, but Janna dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand. "Not my motif, Diaz. I don't want lovey-dovey, and promises, or any of that garbage. I just want…," she trailed off, and Marco found her staring at him, a confused look on her face. "...what you and Star have."

Marco started at the notion of Janna envying his and Stars relationship. What about the brushes with death? And the futuristic nightmare with a bloodthirsty septarian killer trying to destroy them? "Trust me, Janna, Star and I aren't perfect, and we do have commitments, and responsibilities, and problems we have to deal with." Even as he said it, Marco found himself thinking of Toriddities advice. "Star and I can be very different, and things arent always easy. Something I still have to learn, is how to let her find her own way, and that can be hard for someone like me."

"You mean a neurotic safe-kid hellbent on making sure everyones okay? Case in point?" Janna asked, scootching closer to him and flashing a knowing smirk. Marco found himself actually agreeing with her as he rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Yeah, I guess you could say that, but what I'm trying to say is, you have to make compromises when you care about someone, and sometimes you have to change for them. You'd be surprised how different Star and I have gotten since we...first met."

"Annnnd what do you think about me?" Janna asked, moving closer and arching a brow at him. It made Marco somewhat uncomfortable, but he was atleast happy to have her attention when she was upset. It made it easier to help.

"I think you can be annoying, and reckless, and suuuper dangerous, and kiinda weird, and-" Janna was staring at him with a captivated look that made the hair on his neck stand up. Was she that interested in getting his opinion?

"Annnnnd?" She asked, moving to the edge of her bed and gesturing for him to continue, "get to the good stuff, Marco. Don't keep me waiting." Marco blushed, but shook his head and continued, sensing he was on the right track, and even getting her to smile? "Uhm..well...you're pretty smart, and you're true to yourself," he added, Janna nodding at every word, "you're proud, you're pretty cool, and sometimes, you can be a loyal friend."

Janna moved even closer to him, only a foot away, and so close he could smell the mint chip ice cream she had been eating at some point earlier that day. Marco suddenly felt very trapped, and began to inch a but further in his chair as Janna purred, "I always knew you thought I was pretty cool." She leaned over him, on hand keeping her balance above his right shoulder. "You know, I always thought you were just fun to mess with, and a bit crazy, but nowadays? I'm picking up that you're strong, smart, loyal too. I can see that you're caring, and I can feel just how...mmmmmm. Powerful you are…"

"What the hell are you doing?" Marco asked, leaning as far back in the chair as he could before slipping past Janna and standing up. 'Seriously, what the fuck was that?' He wondered, giving her a stunned look. Janna was staring at him like a deer in the headlights, wearing a look of confusion and surprise.

"What? I thought we were-" Janna began, trying to recover her from her chagrined stupor with her usual sarcasm, but Marco was having none of that.

"You thought wrong, Janna, I don't play that kind of game. I'm taken, and if I have any say in it, so are you," he stated flatly, folding his arms, but keeping his distance, "Powerful? Strong? Smart? You don't give out those kinda compliments unless you have an ulterior motive. So stop it, you're freaking me out."

Jannas expression shifted from mortified, to offended in a heartbeat, and Marco immediately knew that challenging her like that would spell trouble. Thinking fast, he back peddled some, offering more advice in hopes she would come to her senses. "You're only acting like this because you're upset. The Janna I know doesn't break apart so easily, and you know better than to try to go behind Stars back like that. Not only would she kill both of us...but you'd regret it later. I promise you that."

"Well-! Maybe you shouldn't be-..." Janna wanted to get mad, to just explode, or maybe even disappear. But Marco had a point, and in realizing that, all of the built up steam gradually vacated her body until she flopped down on the bed once more. "I wouldn't regret it. I don't make wrong choices. But maybe I did with Fergusson, because I don't want someone who leaves when I wanna be me. I want someone like you, you dick."

Marco shook his head and unfolded his arms, feeling somewhat more composed in the situation. He sat down next to her and stared at the many grotesque, pink, and sacrificial things lining her wall. "No. Trust me, no you do not," he muttered, finding a small amount of humor in an otherwise excruciating exchange, "I don't even know how Star manages it. From assassins and destiny junk, to a universe breaking every time we wanna do things different, I'm not easy like Fergs."

"That's good though, dude. Like, you aren't simple like him. I want someone like you, or like me, with-"

"With a pile of layers filled with crippling anxiety from horrific past events?" Marco asked, earning a so-so shrug from Janna. "That's more your thing, but sure," she answered with a shrug, "Maybe I want someone as messed up as me though, someone who lives outside the bubble of mediocrity and experiments with things they can't hope to control. I want to cultivate my life with things that keep me from being 'normal', because normal scares me Marco. And you aren't normal."

Marco was taken by her point of view, because in all honesty? That's how he felt now. Being normal, like he used to be? The thought of going back to being who he was before he met Star was terrifying, and he could only imagine how it must have felt for someone like Janna, who had been abnormal for years, would feel about someone like fergusson. "So, you don't want to commit to him because you're scared of having a normal relationship with a normal guy, and you're jealous of how far from the norm my relationship is?"

"Can you not probe me for like, five minutes?" Janna snorted, slugging his arm with more power than a girl her size should have had, "I mean, it sounds about right, but quit reading me, Diaz."

"I'll stop reading you when you pull yourself together and stop acting like a sad teen hotline user," he quipped. Janna wasn't quite as amused with his joke, asking, "How thought? The plain dude that I for some reason like, just peaced out because I don't wanna pretend we're soul mates for the rest of my life! Like, maybe I want to do with him what Star did to you, and just...I don't know, have fun being me, with him."

"So just give him some time. I know the guy likes you too, so why don't you try compromising?" Marco asked, giving her a quizzical look. Janna scoffed, rolling her eyes back at him and shaking her head. "Compromising is something weak minded people do to get other weak minded people to do what they want. No thanks."

Marco pursed his lips and stared at her, trying a different route by offering, "How do you expect to make someone like me, the way Star did, if you aren't willing to change a little for them? Star made compromises too, it's why we work so well, we built off of each other and changed for each other. You have to do that too if you really want what I have."

"If I wanted what you have, I could take it," Janna fired back jokingly, but after a brief glance from Marco, she nodded in assent and shrugged. "Okay maybe I can't take it, but I'm not compromising. I can do a little bit of romantic stuff, but I'm not changing more than that," she snapped.

"That's….what compromising is…," Marco muttered, but as long as she was agreeing, he could let it go, "just be patient, and don't give up on him if you really do like him. I had to wait two years for Star, y'know, after the whole time travel thing."

Janna managed a laugh at that and shook her head, standing up from the bed with a new stride. "I dunno about waiting on him, but I'll keep it in mind. In the meantime," she gave Marco a flirty eye and rested her hands on her hips before asking, "you wanna get interdimensionally baked and go blow some shit up? I know a really cool beach covered with trash we could hit."

"I guess that sounds...fine. But I'm not getting… messed up, I have to go to Stars song day tonight," Marco answered, standing up to match her and pulling out his scissors.

Janna nodded slowly, a knowing grin on her face as she answered back, "I make no promises, Marco. Now c'mon, show me some of that sweet fire stuff you were doing earlier!"

O - O - O - O - O - O - O

"No! I dunno what kind of weird garbage you usually write, but you're not rhyming Black with Six-pack, its stabs, and abbs!" Star shouted, glaring at Ruberiot from across the kitchen table.

"Well, your majesty," Ruberiot began, clearly struggling to keep his patience in check, "how about you take a few minutes to yourself...WHILE I TRY TO WORK WITH WHAT YOU'VE GIVEN ME!?" he screamed, making Star flinch back. Recovering quickly she slammed both hands on the table and glared at him, ready to rip his head off as she shouted back, "HOW ABOUT YOU MAKE THE DAMN LYRICS WITH WHAT I GIVE YOU, AND YOU STOP COMPLAINING?!"

Ruberiot looked scandalized, standing up to meet her challenge and slamming his own palms to the table. "WE'VE BEEN OVER THIS! ART CANNOT BE RUSH-"

"It can be, and I am," Star growled through a tight lipped smile, the tension nearly at it's breaking point when a pink and blue portal cleaved the air in the living room, birthing Janna and Marco in a stumbling huff that smelled of sea wrack and smoke. Star and Ruberiot traded one last, tense glare, before Star huffed her hair out of her face. "Keep working," she barked, "I'm gonna go have a word with my boyfriend. Oh! And make sure you have a line about the fire, and make the stage light ho all blue, it's gonna blow their minds."

Ruberiot gave her a puzzled look, but she was already leaving the dining room. She was tired of their 'negotiating' anyway, but what she found in the living room was completely unusual, even by her standards.

"Heh heh, you smell like the ocean duuuude," Janna murmured, almost to herself as she sat atop Marcos back, mimicking a rowers posture as she rowed imaginary oars. Marco wiggled under her but he seemed to be trying to swim through the carpet, rather than really get out from under her. "You smell like burnt toast...IS TOM HERE! TOM! WHERE ARE YOU BUDDY!?" Marco shouted as Star watched the two with helpless dismay.

"Whaaaat theee fuuu-" she began, but Marco pretended to breach, and rolled from under Janna, tossing her to the side. "WoaaAAAAH! Tidal waaaave!" She yelled in response as Marco crab-crawled closer to Star, looking up at her with wide, enchanted, and clouded eyes. "What siren of the deep calleth to me onst this hour?! Hark! A true beauty of the sea, a mermaiden as fair as thee, shall not be lonely any longer!" He half yelled, half giggled.

"One, not a maiden. You saw to that," Star listed on her index finger, "two, not a mermaid, I actually know a few that would be super offended right now, but three? WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!" she roared, looming over Marco as he squirmed back to cower beside Janna, "IT'S BEEN THREE HOURS ALONE WITH THIS SORRY EXCUSE FOR A MEWMAN! WHAT HAPPENED TO 'HURR DURR, GRAB MY STUPID FUCKIN SCISSORS AND GET HOME?!'"

Marco slowly blinked, looking up at her before quietly pointing out, "you're really loud for a mermaiden."

Star was about to lose her mind, but palmed her face and growled to herself before turning to face Ruberiot. "You can go home, try to get it done in time and work with what I gave you."

"Thats...not a lot," he answered uneasily, but a scorching glare from Star sent him quickly packing, lute and scribbled notes in tote. When the fool-smitten minstrel was gone from the property, Star turned back to Marco, a new, calm air about her, and asked softly, "Marco, do you know what day it is?"

Again, he slowly blinked, his eyes staring through her to the image of a blonde, scantily-clad mermaid behind her. "Tttttthhhhhhhhuuuurrssssdaaaaaay?" He asked more than answered. Star smacked her forehead with an open palm and dragged it down her face before turning to Janna, a skeptical look in her eye. "Janna, did you do exactly what I said not to do, when you asked if you and Marco could go get...messed up, at trash beach?"

"Yuuuuuuuuuupp," she answered immediately, a wide, goofy grin on her face. Star nodded with a growing smile before kneeling down in front of Marco, poking his nose.

"Baaaabe, you look soooo gooone! Quick! What color is my hair right now?"

Another slow blink. Marco squinted, like there was a bright light in the way, and after a grueling few seconds, mumbled, "yellow." Star giggled and shook her head, nodding to herself before standing up. "Close enough, Diaz. You're off the hook for now, but you need to get ready, we only have like, an hour until this thing's ready to go."

Marco grinned at her, tugging on the drawstrings of his hoodie. "Do I have a date with a Mermaid? That's soooo cooolllll, I always knew I'd get to, some day," he whispered to himself. He nudged Jannas side and gestured to his "mermaid" girlfriend, hoping she could share in his excitement. But Janna's face was twisted in disgust. "Duuuuude, I thought you were dating Star, not Jackie, since when did she actuuuuaaaly turn into a mermaid?

"HOOOKAAYYY, fun timez with Janna is officially over now," Star exclaimed to them both, using Marcos scissors to cut open a small orange portal and pushing her through, "Don't forget to write, Janna! Be safe and don't light any more stuff on fire!" Shutting the portal, Star exhaled sharply through her nose and turned to face Marco, who was presently building himself a fort from the couch cushions.

"Mermaid! I'm building us an awesome castle so we can-"

"Radioactive healing slugs!" Star yelled, firing off three bursts of glowing green slugs at Marcos face, chest, and leg. He doubled over, knocked back into his own cushion fort as Star lowered her wand and moved to inspect him for damages.

"Marcooooo, you alive? I miiight have given you the business a bit too hard there," she said softly, careful not to send him into a panic. Marco nodded dumbly and assessed his conditions first, his movements still sluggish and challenged. "I feeeeel pretty good, how'd you do that? Was it mermaid magic?"

Star pouted, shaking her head as she ushered him towards the stairs. They were already somewhat behind schedule. They still needed to get dressed, show up and help set up the props, and of course, schmooze with the nobles at the castle before the main event. "Nooo, just some regular 'I'm gonna kill my boyfriend tonight', magic," she answered cheerfully, but Marco stopped her at the base of the steps.

"Marco, c'mon. I really don't have time for-"

"Si tu novio muere, me encantaría tomar su lugar," Marco whispered to her, his dazed expression suddenly shifting to a deadly stoic glimmer, "Tu belleza es diferente a todo lo que he visto."

Star stared at him, a mix of dumbfounded pleasure overtaking her impatience, if only for a moment before she shook the intrusive thoughts from her head. "No! Nonono, not gonna happen, whatever you said. We need to get dressed, and get to-"

"El tiempo no es importante cuando puedo pasar mi vida contigo. Podría morir mañana si pudiera tenerte esta noche," Marco breathed, pulling her closer and moving for the stairs, only to fall flat on his face, unmoving. Star inhaled and exhaled rhythmically for a moment to catch her breath before hoisting the downed man of her dreams over her shoulder. "You. *hrnnng!* soooo owe me later!" She growled to herself.

Forty-five minutes later, after forcing Marco into the same suit he wore for the Kingdom of Corn dinner, and sweetening herself up in the same nights attire, both he and Star were ready for song day. Really it was more of a single-song night, but that was besides the point. Which of course was that they were ready. Star gave Marco one final look over before nodding in assent and pulling his scissors from his pocket.

"Wha- hey! I wanted to cut the portal. The lights are soooo cooool," Marco half grumbled, half muttered, but Star wasn't listening. She quickly cut open a portal to Butterfly Castle and promptly shoved him through, disregarding what might be on the other side. Unfortunately, that would be right into Moon Butterfly. She caught Marco's clumsy form and pulled him to his feet, exclaiming, "Goh! Oh my goodness! Marco, what a pleasant surprise. Star what was that about? You can't just...shove…," Moon slowed her barrage of etiquette and scolding when she noticed Marcos captivated expression. "Why is he looking at my hair like that?"

"Ohhkay, mom, don't freak out, and don't get mad," were Star's first words after stepping out of the lavender portal. Moon, not wasting any time, let out a sigh of resignation and motioned for Star to proceed.

"Marcooo, soooorta went to trash beach, on garbage island, and he kiiiiiinds stayed there for like three hours…"

Moon's face tensed for a half a second before she inhaled sharply, turning to Marco. He just continued to smile politely at her, oblivious that he was the object of their conversation. "And...how bad is he?" Moon asked. Star gave her a tired roll of her eyes and shrugged. "I dunno, he speaks spanish sometimes, and thinks I'm a mermaid, but otherwise, he's pretty okay."

"Why's the butt-hair lady staring at me?" Marco asked, leaning over to Star and failing miserably to keep his voice low. From down the hallway, the group could hear River call out, "HA! I TOLD YOU, DEAR! IT DOES LOOK LIKE A BUTT!"

Moon huffed and spun to face the hallway, shouting back, "AT LEAST I CAN REACH THE BATHROOM SINK WITHOUT A STOOL, RIVER!" Star and Marco exchanged a quick sideways glance, and there was no response from River. Turning back to face them, Moon brushed herself over and smiled cordially as if nothing had happened. "Now then, we have a lot to prepare, so I'd suggest leaving Marco with me. Ruberiots expecting you for…'fireworks', down in the amphitheatre, and you have to meet with your cousin Rey, and of course the rest of the nobles are here as well."

"Yeah yeah yeah, nobles and party tricks, are you sure you're okay watching Marco?" Star asked her mother. She kept in close proximity to him, but Marco seemed to be far more interested in keeping close to her anyway. Moon glanced at him, and quickly nodded. "It should be alright. I'll take him up to the balcony seating and see to it that he doesn't get into any trouble. I'm surprised you didn't warn him about the fumes at Garbage Island, though, Star."

"Ugh! I didn't know Janna was gonna take him there!" Star moaned, glaring off in an empty direction, "if I had known she was, I would have told them not to, but did she listen to me? No!"

"Welcome to my very, very lonely world, Star," Moon muttered, giving her daughter a ruffle on the top of her head, "Be careful, and try to make nice with your relatives. I'll see you before the show, I'm quite excited to see what Ruberiot has come up with this year!"

"Ohhh, hah, you definitely shouldnnnt beeeee," Star sung nervously, trudging backwards towards the castle entrance.

O - O - O - O - O - O - O

It was finally time: Star had prepared the staging area, spoken with the nobles, caught up with her family, and was finally on her way towards the upper balconies. It was a long, annoying, and all-around tiring day that had left her exhausted, but it was finally, finally time. She rushed through the marble halls, past the elegent and grand portraits of extended and distant family, rounding corner after corner until she nearly bulldozed a short, fat, and very old woman.

"I SAY, WATCH WHERE YOU'RE-" she shrieked at Star, but her voice died in her throat when she saw the young princesses worried and frantic expression. "Ohhh! Star, it's so nice to see you, it's really been too long! What's it been, say... a few months?"

"Yes, Aunt Etheria. Since flag day, when you-" Star began, but Etheria seemed overly eager to brush that memory under the table. "No no, let's not discuss that, dear. I've already gotten enough reprisal for that day, got a bit carried away. In any event, how are you?" She asked, completely oblivious to Stars time-crunch, or her side-stepping to try and get around her. Etheria wouldn't budge, however, apparently genuinely interested in talking to her.

"Eh, you know, doing fine, in a hurry. I need to get back to Marco and my mom, so if you could just-" Etheria moved to the side and ushered Star further alongside her, the two heading towards the upper balconies at a faster pace than before. "I understand completely, dear! Oh that young boy was such a charmer, truly a better match than that old what's-his-name from the underworld."

"Tom?" Star asked, cocking an eyebrow at her great aunt.

"That's what I said, sweetheart. Oh but that Marco, ha! Told me I had the most flawless skin he's ever seen, said I looked divine!" Etheria went on and on about Marcos compliments, and for whatever reason, Star began to feel a subtle tinge of jealousy at the fact that everyone seemed to be enjoying time with Marco today except her. This reasoning was of course thrown out the window when she rationalized that she'd have plenty of alone time with him for the rest of her life, coupled with the fact that he was currently out of his mind.

"I'm glad you like him, great aunt Etheria, but...uh," Star pushed her way through a gathering of Mewmans, Etheria following intently, "but I think I'm gonna head up now, I'm sorta late, and moms gonna flip if I-" Etheria interrupted her again, pressing a hand to stars mouth and shushing her profusely, "Don't tell her I'm crawling about down here, I'm technically not allowed to be in the castle yet, after that flag day incident."

Star managed a weak, tired smile as she moved through the crowd, answering back, "Your secrets safe with me, Etheria. Stay out of trouble, and I'll make sure Marco knows how much you appreciate the compliments."

"Oh, see that you do, enjoy, dear!" Etheria called after her as Star rushed through the growing crowd and up to the higher balconies. When she finally made it up the seven flights of stairs, six doorways, eight guards, and two snack stations, she found Marco, Moon, River, and the magical high commission all already seated and patiently waiting for the show. Star felt the slightest pang of bitter resentment upon seeing Hekapoo, and of course rhombulus, but she decided it best to just ignore them for now, instead taking a seat between Marco and Moon.

"Oh! Oh! Hey, the Mermaids back," Marco informed Moon, who nodded absent-mindedly, "she looks tired, maybe we should take her to the beach?"

"Marcos still hallucinating, huh?" Star asked, earning another faded nod from her mother.

"A fair bit, yes. It seems the effect of the fumes has not abated yet. I think you've had enough beach for a while, Marco. Perhaps your…'Mermaid' friend would rather watch the show?" Star facepalmed at the indescribably embarrassing tone her mother was taking. It was like she was talking to a kid, when Marco was probably mentally older than her by now.

But Marco merely chanced a glance at Star and nodded to Moon, answering, "It would be my pleasure. Someone as breathtaking an iridescent as her deserves no better place, however, than the center of that stage."

"That's what the show is about, Marco," Moon had to remind him, "our finest minstrel will be performing a song in her honor, to remind the people of Mewni of her deeds and posture as their future ruler." Star wasn't sure if she much cared for that description of the night to come, but Marco seemed plenty interested, so it was probably best to just let it go.

'Janna is sooo gonna get it later,' she growled to herself.

Moon started to ask what Star was grumbling about, when the spotlights dimmed on the stage, the entire crowd falling silent. From up on the balcony the high commission leaned forward, eager to see the display, as Star sunk deeper into her seat, mortified to have to face the repercussions for this alone, much less for a second time.

Gradually, a single spotlight panned down to the stage to reveal a young Mewman man holding an intricately carved wooden lute, his outfit all the rage of stylists, probably thirty years ago. The crowd watched with bated breath, as Ruberiot strummed the first notes to Star's song. They were calm notes, a bubbly little tune reminiscent of a fairy tale lullaby, and Ruberiots voice sounded to meet them.

"Have you heard of the maiden with skin, so fair?

Have you heard of the girl, with beauty so rare?

Her virtue brings hope! A true supernovaaa,

Her smile is sweeter, than the sweetest of colaaa."

Star looked to Moon, and already the queen was smiling, flooded with memories of her own song day, and overjoyed to see Star carrying the tradition with respect and value. It was heartwarming for the Queen, but sadly, it was much less so for the songs dedicant.

"It rains when she cries, it gets cold when she's lonely,

She never tells lies, her truth's the one and only!

Her radiant kindness is known near and faaaar,

It's Mewni's own sweetheart, our dear princess Staaar."

Star noticed the crowd growing steadily more smitten with the performance, the lulling notes and steady chorus winning them over. Marco, however, seemed completely uninterested in the display, whispering to Star, "When does it get good? I thought this guy was supposed to sing a song for you, not about you. Do you actually like this junk?" Star couldn't help but smile, answering back, "just hold onto your butt, Diaz. It gets better." As if on cue, Ruberiot stood to perform the next lines, advancing on the crowd itself.

"And under that docile and gentle sourire,

You'll find a rebellious girl without fear.

The forces of evil, she will terrify,

She's a shooting star princess, that liiiights uuup…..

THEEEE SKYYYYYYYYY!"

As his voice rang out, a heavy tempo of bass began to pound as Ruberiot switched his lute for a Trii-Ribbon Quasar, the finest guitar, lute, and keyboard in the known universe. His hands were a blur as he played notes faster and louder, continuing into the next verse.

"Commanding fires stoked in volatile azure,

I can assure you there is no - one badder!

She blows back all her foes and burns like keroseeeeeeeeene!

She's gonna earn her crown,

So saaaalute the QueeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEN!"

Moon watched in growing horror as Ruberiot tore away his frilled loins in lieu of a far more provocative and flashy jumpsuit, letting his hair down as his hands ripped across the many frets of his Quasar. Marco's eyes were as wide as dinner plates as the display picked up with fireworks and flames, his smile beaming just as bright. Star nudged him and gave him a knowing smirk, but it faded when she saw Moons troubled expression.

"Cause she's the rebel princess, thaaat we love!

She's a blazing sun, in the sky ah-bove!

She's a raging flame roaring through the night!

She's our shooting Star, and she's gonna burn so briiiiiight!"

As the music shifted to a more eerie soundwave of synthesizers and deep bass, Star sunk into her seat, sweating under the up and coming pressure. Moon was shocked by this point, a stark contrast to the audiences cheering and fanfare, but what came next, not even the high commission could have foreseen.

"Shooooting Star you light up the night skyyy,

But became a beacon of desire overnight.

The villain came to be, from a land unknown,

And started making vows, that he would dethrooone...

It's the current, next and future queen of Mewni's who he said,

Use their death to return to him the woman who he'd wed.

To do this he's curruptin' using his bare hands:

The entirety of our magic magic, left in these laaaaaaands."

The minstrel began to play more mysterious chords as Moons blistering stare at Star reigned down. The high commission were all standing, gawking at the information being sung to them, but Marco began to shove them back into their seats, complaining that he couldn't see.

"Star!" Moon seethed just above a whisper, but Star ignored her as Ruberiot continued.

"He used his bold new power to, try to take Stars life,

And now he's on a rampage sowing discord and strife.

The story of his Magic's that he broke his soul in twine

But even though it's tragic, now our fates are on the line.

And the oddest part about this isn't where or how, it's when,

Cause Star has knowledge of the future with her best friend.

The Queen of Mewni realized her daughter held the key,

To ensure all of the good fortune, she would foresee.

So she swore a vow of silence but demanded to know mooore,

So that, she could be prepared, for the coming waaar.

So now you know the truth about the villain looming neeaar,

So bolster your defenses and fight him, withooouuuut feeeeeeaaaaaar

As the music died down, there was disruption in the audience, every Mewman either too stunned to speak, or angrily whispering about what had just been said.

"Star! What- you-... what is the meaning of this!?" Moon demanded, turning a scorching glare at her daughter. Star tried to stammer a response, but Marco stepped around her and eyed Moon quizzically. "Why are you yelling at the mermaid? It's pretty obvious she didn't like the mans song, couldn't you see how upset she was?"

"I- you have no idea what you're talking about, Marco, juat sit down a be quite for a moemnt." Moon folded her ams and prepared to scold Star, and fire her with a barrage of questions, but Marco's frown showed he wouldn't accept that response.

"You don't know what you're talking about. That guys upsetting the mermaid, so you shouldn't make it worse! I don't care how butt-shaped your hair is, you don't get to treat her like that!"

"HAH! I TOLD-" River shouted, but Moon silenced him with a sound-proofed bubble of magic.

"Without fear, that's how they say…

But there's another foe aaat plaaaaayyyyy:"

Ruberiot sang his line out for the still shifting crowd, earning the attention of every man, woman, and child in the amphitheatre. All eyes were on him, and even Moon and Star were stunned at the very idea that there could have been more. As they watched, Ruberiot shifted his tempo to a faster pace, and strummed a galloping set of chords as he sang, but his eyes; they were blank, his hands glitching as he strummed. It was like he was a slave to his own music, completely expressionless as he sang in two voices.

"Who is the boy with the soul that was stolen?

The prince with the vision that got this ball rolliiinn'!

He's under the control, of the beast with his soul.

And so it's far clearer to the idiot feeeeeeeeeeeew

Marcoooooo Diiiaz is working. With. The. Beast. Too.

And it's name is Varteeeek"

Stars eyes were wide open, and everyone else's were on Marco. He stood beside her, clueless to what was going on around him before glancing at Star. "Do you wanna go out some time?" He asked, giving her a confident grin.

Star stood speechless, staring at him. The glitches, her mother, the silent crowd, her father silently asking what was going on, the high commission eying Marco dangerously; all of it was too much. More than even she could have expected when she decided to go along with this. Even more than when she figured she would go through it along.

"How about right now?" She asked, summoning cloudy, grabbing Marco, and jumping on just as the entire amphitheatre exploded into yelling. Moon argued with the high commission, the crowd was in turmoil, and River looked completely lost. Star pushed it all into the back of her mind, reminding herself that this was all just as bad as last time, and at least this time, she had Marco.

"Don't worry about them, Mermaid," he whispered behind her, "I have a weird feeling you did a really good thing, even if they won't think so."

Star smiled back at him, a sad smile that hated to be worn, but loved to be free. She reached for his hand and squeezed it, gently, to remind his drugged up inner self that she appreciated the thought. "I hope so...I really do," she answered, more to herself than anyone. And off they flew, back home to prepare. For a party neither of them would attend, and a battle that would rock the universe to its core.

To be continued in: Party of the year

Star and Marco struggle to focus on the end of the year party when the future looms ever closer.

The MHC, furious with what they've learned, lead an assault on Varteks forces alongside Queen Moon, but are they prepared for what they will find?

AUTHORS NOTE

YOOO what's up people, its ya boi, Ronald McFuckin Reagan, back again with another chapter of Forgotten Ventures! Alright...youtube intro out of the way, how are yall? The ole Virus messin with your day today? I still work, so silver lining and all that, it's pretty shitty tbh. I just wanna sit at home, write, and draw. But, "money makes the world go round", so I gotta suck it up.

Seriously, thank you all so much for reading this story. I feel like I don't say it enough but I love how many people enjoy what I'm doing here. I started this hullabaloo on a whim one day bc I wanted to make people as happy, excited, and just generally thrilled, as I was reading fics I liked. To see that so many people read this story, with that same enthusiasm and joy that I have reading other works? I can't even describe it. Thank you all for being a part of this, and sticking around for the fun stuff!

Speaking of fun stuff, like I mentioned in the update (unless you missed it), I'm doing comics and fanart! If you have a favorite scene from this story, The Once and Future Queen, or In The Pale Starlight(Lord Cornwalis), let me know and I'll start making a list of comics! I miiiight even consider doing covers (free, duh) at some point, but I don't wanna take away from the story too much so idk. So far, comic picks are as follows!

-Ch. 5, OAFQ, Hilltop scene

-Ch. 12, ITPS, Buffrog saves Marco

-Ch. 2, OAFQ, Star gets her wand

(courtesy of LordofTheStorm)

-Ch. 4, OAFQ, Starco first adventure

(Courtesy of Adol116)

REVIEWS

Viceversa96- Lol, I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter, and the April update XD yeah, these poor idiots are going through a shit storm right now, but like I've said, only rainbows after rain, yeah? Things will get a lot worse before the get better, but I think you'll all enjoy the better quite a bit. And the 'worse' ain't too bad either!

Starco4everr- ayyyy, thank you! I appreciate the support thus far, and I hope you like what comes next! Which is going to be a lot of crazy " blow-your-ass-off" shit lmao

LordofTheStorm- definitely gonna draw that scene of Marco handing Star the wand, because that's just too awesome to not do! Thanks for such a killer suggestion, man, and I hope it doesn't disappoint when I get it to ya!

Piteros- lmao sorry for the wait, the length, and the weird bits in there, but you know how it is, it wouldn't be much of a Star Vs. Story if it wasn't a little weird! Thanks so much for reading and of course reviewing, and I hope you like the next chapters to come! :3

FinalKingdomHearts- Very good. See you then!

KrashThunder- :X

BedrockArmor- Ayyye, ya got me!

TheOpinionator- Well I'm just happy you're so into it that you can see ahead of me! When you call things, ya call em, lmao. Sometimes tho I have to pretend like yall are wrong so you second guess things, and other times, i straight up absorb them good ideas.

LordCornwalis- no review, no reply, suck my nuts, dad!

As Corn will come to realize, leave a review and I'll be doing these fun response threads, so everyone can see! Yaaaaay! Fr tho, thoughts, concerns, suggestions, lemme know what yall think. It fuels meeee. Thats all for now, until next time...BUH BYYYEEE!

~Mr. Ronald Reagan