Groggily Marco woke up in his bedroom. His body was sore to the core and he was tempted just to sleep the rest of the day. It was a Saturday after all and he didn't have any homework since he was done with school. Slowly but surely he got out of bed and wanted to refreshen himself in the bathroom with some cold water.

Getting out of his room he was greeted with an unfamiliar stone hallway. Since when did his parents... It finally dawned on him. He wasn't home he was on Mewni. He was on auto-pilot since he woke up in a room identical to his.

Looking to his left there indeed was another door and that door could only belong to one person. He had finally moved to Mewni and... Wait was he supposed to work right now? He was a squire of the wash and he literally knew nothing about it.

He went back and got dressed and headed to the basement. There was a glaring problem. He had no idea how to get there. He had been too lost in thoughts when he followed Star yesterday. He couldn't exactly remember why he was lost in thoughts but now he really wished he hadn't been at the time.

At least the silver lining is that he could just blame his lack of familiarity with the castle as to why he's late.

Walking aimlessly wouldn't do him any good. He could ask the few times he walked past patrolling guards or cleaning maids but they did little to hide how big of an eyesore he was. Nonetheless, after a fruitless effort, he put on a smile and approached a cleaning maid.

"Sorry, but could you direct me to the basement?"

"Sure, you..." The maid turned around and her cheerful voice only lasted that long. She furrowed her brows.

"Please, I have work to do,"

"I got nothing for you," with her words she returned to her duties as a maid.

Understandably Marco was frustrated. He couldn't make her talk if she didn't want to. looking behind just one more time to hopefully see any kind of hesitation he found none as she dusted off a painting of an older generation family.

It gave him an idea, these people were very loyal and loved the royal family maybe he could persuade her, "it's a shame that I'll have to wake up princess Star from her peaceful sleep for such a rival thing."

She stopped mid-motion and glared at him, "are you threatening me?"

"What? no. It would just be less of a hassle for me and Star."

She got threatening close to him, " Screw you, you shit-colored parasite," she turned on her heel and strutted down the hallway.

She went past the painting she was dusting off until she went on him, "You missed a pretty big spot."

He wasn't even dignified with a response not that he was expecting one. Plenty annoyed at how it went he walked back to his and Star's room.

He knocked on the pink door that practically shouted "Star's room" with all its decorations and drawings on it, possibly also the screaming pink color. Knocking on it he waited precisely 5 seconds and then opened the door and saw the sleeping Star.

Her sleeping posture was awful and messy then again when wasn't it? Going to the window near Star's bed he pulled the curtains to the side to let in the sunlight. Star groaned and turned as she got sunlight on her face, "Morning Star."

"Hmmm, five more minutes," it was pretty clear that she wasn't about to wake up. Still, it very much humored him how little their relationship had changed even after a few months apart. Living in that nostalgia he got an interesting thought of how to get her up.

"Sure if you wanna piss off Skullnick for being late to school."

She loudly groaned and reluctantly got up from bed and rubbed her eyes free of sleep. "Did we have any homework?" she asked as she stretched her arms and shoulders.

"Just an essay." She looked at the smiling human that was her best friend and then looked mighty annoyed. It was clear she had caught on, "Sorry to wake you but I need help getting down to the basement."

She had her eyes narrowed at him like he was keeping something from her, "first off not cool. Second, why do you need to go to the basement?"

"Cause I'm squire of the wash? Or am I misunderstanding something?"

"yes, I've decided that you are going to be my royal squire. No thanks needed."

"So you just decided that? I guess you are the princess."

"Yeah and I would've made you my squire if you didn't sleep like a baby, so cute."

He adverted his eyes from her in embarrassment. It did ring a bell as the last thing he remembered was trying out his bed.

"Then let's do it. Do I have to fight a magical creature or something?" he asked showing his excitement at the prospect.

Star smiled at his puppy-like excitement and commanded him like the life of puppies was in danger, "Kneel."

He was a bit taken aback by the sudden change but complied nonetheless. On his knees, he mimicked the knights he had seen in the throne room yesterday. Star gave her nod in approval not that he could see it as he had his head down.

"I Star Butterfly the heir to the Butterfly kingdom and future high-queen of mewni hereby declare Marco Diaz-"

"Marco Ubaldo Diaz," he corrected her without lifting his head. It was slightly odd to hear her this serious but it was a positive odd. Like she had grown more mature as a person. It was clear that the less wild and weird Star was taking the next steps toward her future life.

"Marco Ubaldo Diaz that he is to be my royal squire in times of danger and peace. Being forever loyal and my most trusted adviser while also clubbing with me and spoiling me with his delicious nachos-"

Marco looked up and smiled. The heavy and absolute tone she had at the start had certainly made him aware of the weight of this oath. He honestly wasn't sure if he was ready to make such a commitment. However, the familiar Star was showing and he was certain that his life with Star would be just great here.

"-And most honorably be my best friend until death. Do you agree?"

His smile answered that adequately but he spoke anyway, " I do."

Pulling him into a hug, "Awesome, now that I'm awake we might as well figure your job out."

Being a royal squire was not really squireing. It was more like personal assistance for Star. Keeping a schedule for her. Preparing and organizing her few future diplomatic visits.

The first one would be to the royal Lucitor family. He figured that Star's mirror would have his number since he's... her boyfriend...

Frustration welled up in him and he knew that. It would be more accurate to call it dismay mixed with selfishness. He had insisted and then made a plan to see what and how the next few weeks would go. The few days she had rest would be spent with Tom or on relaxation.

Resolute on not letting the prediction-stress by the future paperwork out and lashing at Tom he pushed his emotion down, only to be replaced by surprise.

In front of him was a woman in pink pajamas. She had green hair coming out from under a tied purple bandana. The surprising thing wasn't the pretty lady, it was the fact that she came out of a painting that worked as a door.

She jolted and closed the door. She would have closed the door if Marco didn't wedge his foot in the frame. An excited smile adored his face.

Convinced after seeing his quick reaction and speed she pulled her hands up in surrender. Smiling she said, "I know you're in a difficult phase of your life, but please keep your excitement down."

"Giving up like that? Not gonna fight or run?" His disappointed tone pulled a genuine smile.

"Oh?" He did not like that smile one bit, "I can show you what I got."

Untieing the cloth that worked as a belt, he felt the heat on his cheeks. It wasn't just the fact she literally undressed for him, it was the sudden sensual tone and the fact she was right about his body's phase.

Completely untieing, he couldn't help but gulp his thickening saliva. She tied it tight again...

As if frozen he stood there even as she laughed her lungs out. Getting out of the involuntary aroused condition he glared her down.

Ignoring the sharp look she introduced herself, " I'm Eclipsa. And who might you be?"

"M-Marco," for a single second he processed what he just did. He was in front of a woman who was trespassing onto Star's room. "Eclipsa this can-"

A moment of realization, "So you're that special someone. The one who came crashing back into her life. Aren't you just delectable?"

"How do you-? Are you one of the maids in the castle?"

"Goodness no. It would reflect poorly if one of the Butterfly family were to be reduced to a maid." She paid great attention to the boy. He was looking her up and down taking in her features. He mainly focused on her cheeks marks.

"Show me your wings."

It would seem that the tables were turned on who was teasing who.

"Boy." The threatening title did little in intimidating the young man. "Do you even know what it means for a Butterfly to show their wings?"

It was very few people who should ever see the wings of a Butterfly. It showed one of the most sensitive parts of the body while also turning your back to someone who potentially could cut them off and sell them for a decent sum.

"Stop acting like your so old. And if it's such a problem then we can wait for Star, however, I'll be tieing you down."

"Sorry, but I don't do bondage with someone I don't know," She gestured like it couldn't be helped.

"I guess we'll be fighting then." Getting into his stance he found her not preparing herself.

"I'll show you my wings. You are Star's boyfriend after all." An odd look so odd even she could call it out and she had only met him today. "Are you alright?"

"I- yeah. Just show me your wings..."

"Easy there, we aren't in a hurry." Her teasing didn't have the same effect as before. Granted he did at the moment look like one with a heavy guard up.

Turning her back to him, she grabbed the opening of her pajama and easily slid them down her shoulders. Out of her back was a pair of veiny dark purple wings. Instinctively did he reach out to touch-

"No touching," the command hard and one he immediately complied with.

"Sorry and sorry for all this. Just keeping Star safe is all," he smiled apologetically.

Silence remained supreme as she got her pajama properly on. He had respected her to be angry, but she seemed naturally content. Face to face he bowed and he got a nod in return.

"Thank you for the exquisite entertainment." Reaching into her blossom to fish something out she caught him staring from the corner of her eye. "It was very impressive for one so young."

"What?" He asked dumbly. He knew she toyed with him and it is embarrassing that he was so flushed in the face, however, most of all it was his anger at himself for being so out of control of himself.

"Get your head out of the gutter." She dramatically rolled her eyes, however, her teasing tone never wavered. "I mean your fight, I saw it from the tower of roses."

"Thank you, but should you compliment me when I made your kingdom's knights look bad? "

She lightly chuckled, " I should very much do so."

Standing in a bit of silence, he was torn between just leaving as she made him quite uncomfortable, or perhaps learning more about this secret transportation method.

Curiosity won, "Say even if we had a rocky introduction maybe you would be willing to grant an ignorant royal squire the knowledge of this great architecture." He couldn't kneel for her, but he had a perfect 90-degree bow to her.

"What would I get out of it? What would you do for me?" the innocent question was tainted by her unconcealed sensual, alluring voice.

"If it isn't in betrayal to Star, I would do almost anything. Acquiring dangerous relics or something similar."

" Why do I get a feeling that I would do you a favor if I send you out questing? Matters little, I would have you acquiring something of most value to me. Something you have to give for every lesson you are going to need."

He didn't like the way she phrased that condition, she could extort him for every lesson. However, a deep feeling that even he couldn't pinpoint was excited at the thought of adventuring for whatever assets she could point him to.

"Deal, so the price for the first lesson?"

She looked intently into his eyes. It told him that the thing was important. It went unsaid that he couldn't ever share the info with anyone. His curiosity was swelling and it irked him as she continued her stare.

"10 snookers bar!"

Some time passed and while he got used to his new life he couldn't get too comfortable as he soon will learn.

Laying in his bed Marco turned uncomfortably as the morning rays shone in his room. Slowly waking up he almost missed a person sneaking into his room. Tiredly he asked, " Star?"

The intruder stiffened and looking closer the intruder was holding a bucket. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes he sat up. "What-"

A moist and earthly-smelling substance washed over him and his bed. Alarmed he rose to his feet and removed the sticky substance from his face, however, when he could see again there was no sight of an intruder besides the thrown... Looking down he quickly recognized it as mud. Wet and very smelly mud like from a swamp.

Angrily he ran to his door and looked right and left but no one was in sight.